Hump Day Harmonics

Todays music isn't actually out yet, but I have pre-ordered my copy and the first song released is Grrreeeaaattt-ness! Coldplay's newest album Viva La Vida is set to be released June 17th as of today and I can't wait. The Delacroix cover is pretty awesome too, I would love to go to the Louvre to see that painting.



Something else that's pretty cool is the iTunes commercial for this album:



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Now playing: Coldplay - Viva la Vida
via FoxyTunes

Wedding Biz, Has This Happened To You?

Now for some humor and a great article talking about photography.

Man Stroke Woman - Flowers


Man Stroke Woman - Cake


There's been a good article floating around a lot of photographers blogs and forums, I don't know the original creator but I figured I would share.

Why are Professional Photographers so expensive?

In this digital age where everyone has digital cameras, scanners and home "photo printers", when people upload their photos to a local drug store website and pick them up a few hours later, we hear this all the time - How in the world do Professional Photographers charge $55 for an 8x10 when they cost just $1.50 at the drug store?

Here's why.

Simply put, you're not just paying for the actual photograph, you're paying for time and expertise. First, let's look at the actual time involved. If you don't read this entire page, at least read this first part.

For a two hour portrait session:

- one hour of travel to and from the session
- two hours of shooting
- 30 minutes of setup, preparation, talking to the client etc.
- 30 minutes to load the photos onto a computer (2 - 4 Gb of data)
- 30 minutes to back up the files on an external drive
- 3 - 4 hours of Photoshop time including cropping, contrast, color, sharpening, saving a copy for print and a copy for the internet and backing up the edited photographs
- 2 - 3 hours to talk to the client, answer questions, receive their order and payment, order their prints, receive and verify prints, package prints, schedule shipment and drop package off at Fed Ex.

You can see how one two hour session easily turns into more than ten hours of work from start to finish. So when you see a Photographer charging a $200 session fee for a two hour photo shoot, you are not paying them $100 / hour.

For an eight hour wedding:

- I won't bore you with the details, but an eight hour wedding typically amounts to at least two to three full 40 hour work weeks worth of time. Again, if they are charging you $4,000 for an eight hour wedding, you are not paying them $500 / hour.

Now for the expertise.

Shooting professional photography is a skill, acquired through years of experience. Even though a quality camera now costs under $2,000 taking professional portraits involves much more than a nice camera.

Most Professional Photographers take years to go from buying their first decent camera to making money with their photography. In addition to learning how to use the camera itself, there is a mountain of other equipment involved, as well as numerous software programs used to edit and print photographs, run a website etc.

And let's not forget that you actually have to have people skills, be able to communicate, make people comfortable in front of the camera - and posing people to make them look their best in a photograph is a skill all by itself.

Think of it this way - the next time you pay $X to get your hair done, a pair of scissors only costs $1.50. But you gladly pay a lot more to hire a Professional.

What about the cheap studios at the mall?

Please don't compare us to the chain store studios. But if you must, consider all of the time and work that we put into our photographs, compared to what they do. Good luck getting a two hour photo shoot at a chain store. Not to mention they won't come to the beach! And of course, look at our work compared to theirs. You get what you pay for.

The truth is, most of the mall and chain store studios lose money. In fact, in 2007 Wal-Mart closed 500 of their portrait studios because of the financial drain they were putting on the company. What the chain stores bet on is that you'll come in for some quick and cheap photos, and while you're there, you'll also spend $200 on other things. They don't have to make money, they are just there to get you in the door.

Conclusion

We hope that those who have taken the time to read this page will have a better understanding of why professional photographs cost so much more than the ones that you get from your local drug store.

Hump Day Harmonics

Todays edition of HDH is not a new album but a little known band pulled from my playlist. It's none other than the Brooklyn based band called Home Video. I love Radiohead and the solo project from their lead singer Thom Yorke, and Home Video sounds very similar if not a little better... Great lyrics that are well written and the natural timbre of Colin Ruffinos voice is eerily close to Thom Yorke's so it automatically climbs my list of faves. As usual, don't take my word for it, go have a listen at ilike.



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Now playing: Home Video - Penguin
via FoxyTunes

Little Bro Has Grademuwated!

Two weekends ago, we made the long and boring trek to Lubbock for my brothers graduation, so I thought I would share a few pics.

Little Bro


This one took a little setup (I sent him a text and said look here for me)


Doesn't he look happy to be out in the real world...


The night before we swung by his Fraternity Lodge after some Moe's Burritos!


And Abby got in a little hoop action


And then she got a little help from Uncle Steve


Even Emily was all smiles at the graduation


Then I have to share a little of Abs personality... taken a split second apart in our hotel room.



Then another of Ems, since Abs had more... Just chillaxin and waitin on some dinner!



Congrats on your Graduation, Hoss!

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Now playing: Thom Yorke - The Clock
via FoxyTunes

Hump Day Harmonics - Narrow Stairs

Todays edition of Hump Day Harmonics is the sixth and brand new album out yesterday from Death cab for Cutie called Narrow Stairs. As most know, I am a big fan of the Indie music scene and Death Cab for Cutie has been a longtime staple of my iPod pleasure. If you don't know who they are, you've more than likely heard them on "The Wedding Crashers", "The O.C.", "Six Feet Under" and I'm sure more. Ben Gibbard has one of those petite soothing voices that is almost a whisper and perfect mellow music, and the latest song (which they played the other night on Letterman) "I Will Possess Your Heart" is no different. The next bonus of this song... it's not the typical 3:30 - 4:00 minute industry standard song, oh no sir, you get your moneys worth with over 8 minutes of some very catchy lyrics. I guarantee you'll be singing it the rest of the day! Give the instrumental start a chance it takes a while, but well worth it. A couple of my other favorites so far are "Your New Twin Sized Bed" and the wow of "Bixby Canyon Bridge". If you feel like checking out some older stuff, a few other faves are "The Sound of Settling" and "Soul Meets Body" off some older albums.

Ok, Now Go Stars!

Casey & Brandy's Wedding at Fossil Creek Golf Course

Casey & Brandy had a great wedding at the Fossil Creek Golf Course a little while back so I had to share some photos.

The wedding date


The Guys


The guys again


Brandy and Mom getting ready


admiring the necklace


The Harpist


Some after formal shots








Reception time and time for some favor details


The Rings


The outside of Fossil Creek


The Flower Girl and Ring Bearer


The Toast


and another congatulatory toast to you two, enjoy the pics and thanks!



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Now playing: Home Video - Penguin
via FoxyTunes

Happy Mothers Day

Just a quick Happy Mothers Day to my Mom and of course my lovely wife.

My Mom
(When she's not smiling for the camera)


and Mom (with camera smile)


Then of course my lovely wife (actually all my girls minus the dog)

Hump Day Harmonics

Hump Day Harmonics will be the new installment to force me to continually update this blog on a regular basis... So on Hump Day you'll get to learn a little about a new album, artist or just something I have been wearing out on the iPod. I have been posting about music for a while, but finally decided I could do something every week on it and never run out of stuff.

So today's first is a band that had their big hit early on in my college days with this very song that still makes it on my playlist quite frequently.

PORTISHEAD - SOUR TIMES

The new album titled Third is chock full'o more wicked vocals from Beth Gibbons who has such a unique voice as well as tons of electronic drum beats especially in my favorite song "Machine Gun". Now for the warning, this is not an easy listening track that you can just relax too, the last album I mentioned from Thom Yorke is one I could fall asleep too but this one is not that type of album. There are some other great tracks that aren't so hardcore though, "Silence" & "Deep Water" are much more mellow and Deep Water is great with the backup barbershop guys. This album debuts almost 11 years after their last album, so maybe there is more to come in the future. Take a listen and let me know what you think...


Here's the new album: