Tonight I was talking to a co-worker/friend at work about her art. From what I have seen she is an incredible artist, and has a degree in Studio Art. I am completely in love with the way she looks at life and her art alone signifies that she sees the world in a unique way. I was telling her I would love to purchase a piece and asked how much some of them were, and she wouldn’t really give me a price. This lady, couldn’t really give me a price on what her art is worth. And let me tell you, it’s worth a lot (and if I may, will be worth something some day). I am not taking a dig at her, I think I am just amazed that as artists we have such a hard time knowing our worth. All the time and effort that we put into our different medias, and yet we can’t put a price on it. I have struggled with this for a long time as a photographer, and maybe some of it has to do with society telling us that art is pointless, and easy. Let me tell you, it’s not. The idea of Van Gogh is still so strong in our culture, but seriously the starving artist was never awesome, especially when the man cut his ear off from going completely insane (probably due to the fact that he wasn’t making a dime on his art). Is it that selfish that we get recognition for our talents when we’re still alive? I believe that people like Megan (my co-worker) deserves that recognition, and not just verbal recognition, she deserves a paycheck.
Yes we could blame it on the economy, but I am really tired of that being a reason. People can make choices, and I truly believe that seeing the world more beautifully is worth the money. What would our world be like without art (yes that’s cliché, but if everyone is asking it, then it must be true)?
Artists deserve recognition. Period.
Now if you would like to know what artist I am specifically talking about, check out her tumbler: Megan’s Work
And a little something for you all to enjoy from me:
A friend at work asked me what I’ve been up to with Blue Shutter this year, and I told him we have only had a couple jobs since I moved back to Virginia, which then made me think of my time in Detroit, and how many wonderful clients I had while there. I really can’t wait for the possibilities Detroit has to offer for Blue Shutter when we move back for good. Granted we haven’t really put much effort into this business since moving back to VA, but I do feel that the heart and soul of the business belongs in D-Town.
My brother and his girlfriend are here visiting. We did a very tiny session this afternoon in our backyard. They came up with this idea, and I absolutely loved it. Also, they are pretty much adorable all the time.
I wish there was a way I could express the Wedding I captured yesterday morning. It was a beautiful ceremony and I believe that anyone that was there yesterday would agree with me. It was very honest, lovely and intimate. Everyone that was invited to the ceremony had a special relationship with the Bride and Groom, and the guests were also very much involved in the ceremony. I think it showed how important family and friends are to Brian and Ilina, and their love for them was evident yesterday. Here are some of my favorite photos from yesterday’s Wedding. Please enjoy!
I wanted to write a post concerning Wedding Photography and our business. Blue Shutter does not intend to be a Wedding Photography company in any sense of the word. We have turned down many wedding jobs in the past because we do not feel that is the path our business wants to go down. Wedding Photography is such a unique and special thing, and it takes a lot of effort, skill and patience for it. Owning a business with your spouse can be very rewarding, but also very taxing emotionally. Neither Andrew nor I feel we are led in the Wedding Photography avenue, but when opportunities come along such as Ilina and Brian’s Wedding, it’s difficult to pass up. I think in the future we would love to take jobs such as this because Ilina and Brian are so laid back, and their ceremony was so intimate and beautiful. Doing their wedding yesterday didn’t feel stressful or taxing at all. It was actual quite joyous and wonderful for me to be there capturing the moments. So, with that said, for anyone out there interested in Blue Shutter for your wedding, we will only take Wedding jobs that are extremely intimate and on a very small scale.
Back in April Ilina and Brian came to Blue Shutter asking for an engagement session. It was a true success, and I couldn’t wait for their wedding day! It finally arrived this morning at 7AM! I was lucky enough to be there to photograph their intimate ceremony, and afterwards we had a Wear the Dress session. The session was wonderful, and we shot the entire thing in Brian’s Parent’s backyard. I had no idea that we could shoot an hour long session in just one spot! I loved being part of their day, and here are some of my favorite images taken during their Wear the Dress session. This coming week I will share some special moments taken during their ceremony as well. Blue Shutter does not advertise as a Wedding Photography company and we never intend to become one, but I must say that opportunities like these just can’t be passed up. This is the exact kind of wedding I would be happy to capture: a creative couple, small and intimate and truly sincere. Keep an eye out for those shots!
The time is fast approaching: Blue Shutter will be packing up and moving their base of operations back to Michigan, permanently. In order to facilitate the easiest transition/move possible while still providing you with the best service we are not going to book any photo sessions in Virginia after March 2012. What does this mean for you?
If you live in Virginia and you have been wanting to get your photos taken by Blue Shutter, now is the time to book your session. Even if you have been on the fence about it or you already had Blue Shutter portraits but want another session, book now! Here’s the deal: Virginia heat gets pretty brutal in the summer. Pit stains and sweaty faces make for not-so-amazing photos. This is the last spring for you to take advantage of having Blue Shutter right here in your home town!
Whether you want to celebrate an anniversary, a child, an engagement, or your family we would love to help you document that with beautiful portraits. Book your session today!
Last week something pretty neat happened. Andrew is showing some of his deployment photography at this really amazing coffeehouse in downtown Norfolk called Cure. We have yet to venture over there and see how it is exactly displayed, and we may not even make any money off of it, but we don’t mind at all. It’s just really cool to have a spot in Norfolk where we can display some of our photography that is not portrait based. For those of you who are looking for cool coffee spots Cure is your place. Not only is the coffee delicious, but the food is excellent, and the atmosphere is very relaxed and fun.
Cure Coffeehouse & Brasserie is located at 503 Botetourt St., Norfolk VA
There isn’t anything that I don’t like about Ilina and Brian. Having just met them yesterday, I got a true feel for who they are as a couple. They are extremely smart, adorable and unique individuals and their upcoming wedding is going to be incredible! We had a lot of fun hanging out at the Norfolk Zoo, and found some beautiful backdrops for their session. I feel honored that they chose Blue Shutter for their engagement portraits.
So a few weeks ago Andrew decided to be awesome and start a cooking blog. I have to say that not only are his recipes fantastic (and will soon give me a pot belly), but his writing literally makes me laugh out loud. So far our grocery bills haven’t gone up, but I am expecting that to change soon because the man is on a roll. I am helping here and there with the blog by providing some Blue Shutter food photography (which I have to say is SO FUN). So Blue Shutter fans, you need to become a fan of HOT SH!T KITCHEN!
Preview:
