The McKenzies' Blog…

Today was an interesting day.  It started by getting up way too frigging early for some reason, just couldn’t sleep I suppose.  Just as well, I needed to get on the 0841 train from Waterbeach to King’s Lynn to join Tracey Robinson, from Red Fish photography, and one of her Models on Location Workshops.  I first heard about Tracey through a friend via FB.  Tracey runs these Models on Location Workshops in and around King’s Lynn, it’s the first time I’ve seen this sort of format.   The workshops run for 2 hours and vary in cost, but start around £20.  To quote a bit of her website:

All Model Location Workshops are intensive two hour courses set at different locations around Kings Lynn in Norfolk. The Workshops will be held where there are great textured walls, arches, open land or beaches depending on which Workshop you choose to attend.

These Workshops are aimed at anyone wanting to learn how to take a better portrait using a model and natural lighting on location or who just want to do something a little different within their photography hobby.

Click to continue reading and see some photos from the day…

Read the rest of this entry »

Ok, that’s a bit of an open ended question.  I really mean, Where do I want to go with photography?  That’s a very good question, and one I’m struggling to answer right now.  I know I’m not alone, or at least I sure hope other budding photographers have asked themselves the same question.    I’ve blogged a little on this before, but my renewal in photography came when I bought my first DSLR in 2010, the Nikon D5000.   Was it the best camera to buy at the time?  I’ve heard from some it was and others say no, but it doesn’t really matter and I don’t regret buying it, the one thing is that it’s really kicked me in the butt to get back to loving photography, and I do.

So, back to the question, where do I want to go with it… Ideally, I’d like to make some money at it, in the perfect world I’d love to quite IT, or at least make IT my hobby and make photography my job.  That’s a long way off however.  I’ve been taking some courses to help improve my skills (or at least I hope it is haha).

I’ve just signed up for a 10 week Digital photography: creating and sharing better images course that will start in May.  I’m don’t really know what to expect from the course but I do know I will certainly learn a few things.  At the very least, the course comes with a copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements, and we’ll learn how to use that.  I’ve not used it myself only played with a trial of the full Photoshop, I didn’t get much from playing with the trial as I didn’t have anything I needed to use it for so it’s hard to learn when you have no targets or goals to work towards.  So, if nothing else I hope I can learn some basic photo editing and knowing what looks good and what doesn’t.  Another aspect of the course will be to “teach you how to critically evaluate your own and others’ work in the spirit of continuous technical and artistic improvement”.  I know what I think looks good to me, but is it good in general or only good to me?  If it’s only good to me then that’s fine if I never want people to see it, or if I never want to sell the work to make a couple quid from it.

Back at the end of Feb I did a lighting course in a studio with a local model, that was a completely new experience to me on every level, and I loved it.  I’d like to do more of that, but with it comes a cost, so there really needs to be something to help help offset the cost, ie: selling a few photos to help cover the studio/model costs.  That’s something I am still trying to figure out, how do you make money from shooting models.  Well, one way is to get some commercial work, such as shooting products (food, clothing, cars, houses, weddings?, etc).  I really don’t see myself shooting weddings.  That seems like a hell of a lot of work and your photos could either really make to totally destroy someone’s special day.  Right now at my skill level, that is the furthest thing from my mind haha.

The one thing I know for certain is I like shooting people so I’ll keep going down that road for the time being…  What this space for more updates…

The last couple weeks have been quite busy for me, on March 24th I flew off to New York City for nearly a week of working out of the NY office.  The trip started by getting collected at home around 7am for a Noon flight out of LHR.  I went for that flight as it would get me into JFK early enough to still get out around the city in the afternoon but yet not need me to get up stupid o’clock (like the previous trip over there). 

On Sunday (25th) I walked to B&H to check out the shop and buy some photography equipment.  B&H is simply amazing.  The way they operate is how all big stores should operate if you ask me.  They had so many staff on hand it was crazy, but what makes that a good thing is that they all seemed to know what they were talking about, easy to find and talk to, and not pushy sales people like so many stores have.  I like that you get to touch and play with pretty much everything they sell.  I also love the fact that you can shop until your credit card drops but never have to carry anything around the store, everything makes it’s way to the front desk for you by way of series of conveyor belt/roller systems.  My experience at B&H on the Sunday was marred only by the fact I went on a Sunday.  The company is run by traditional Jews, as such it’s shut on Saturday’s so Sunday their big day.  The place was packed, totally heaving on Sunday.  I felt too intimidated by the new experience and their processes to even try and buy or look at anything haha

Sunday afternoon I was booked to be an Observer with the FDNY EMS, Station 8 at Bellevue Hospital in Manhattan.  This was an 8 hr shift from 2pm – 10pm.  I was assigned to a BLS (Basic Life Support) Ambulance.  These units are manned by non-Paramedic staff.  The Paramedics operate the ALS (Advanced Life Support) units.  The crew I was with were great, friendly and professional folks.  As we were in a BLS unit we had mostly routine cases.  The day went smoothly and rather quickly, but it was still a good experience.  Many thanks to the folks at FDNY for letting me go out with them. (That’s not the Ambulance I was riding in, just one from the FDNY website)

Monday through Wednesday really was just working in the office from 9am-6pm then out for dinner and drinks with the group after hours.  A couple of the dinners were “sponsored” by vendors so that was nice.  Good times.

Wednesday night though I went back to B&H after work to get the bits I wanted to get on Sunday.  I’m glad I went back.  It was busy there but nothing like it was on Sunday.  So, what did I buy .. first thing was my Upgrade for Adobe Lightroom 4. 

Then it was off to the Lens counter.  The thing I like about B&H is that you can try any lens you like on YOUR camera so you can really get a feel for it.  I never got the feeling of being rushed either while I played.  The lens I bought was the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G DX.  A nice fast lens but will take a bit to master it .. it’s pretty easy to get some funky shots from it (but not funky in a cool nifty way hah). 

The final purchase was a new camera bag.  I went with the Tamrac Rally  4 Camera Bag.  It holds my Nikon D7000 with the 18-105mm lens attached plus room for both my 50mm and 35mm lenses plus a bunch of bits in the front pocket.  It also fits nicely in my regular laptop backpack too so that’s a bonus.

I spent most of Thursday in the office before heading off to JFK to get the red eye back to Heathrow.

Friday, I got home showered and sort of unpacked then headed into The Grafton Centre to snap some pics for the FAB (Fashion And Beauty) Weekend fashion show. Took a ton of photos then headed home before I fell down from exhaustion and go through the pics.  Saturday it was back to the shopping again for a second day of photos.  I was getting photos for a competition they were running.  The winning photo would be featured in a fashion magazine and receive a £50 gift voucher from the mall.  Sadly, I didn’t win, but sure was fun.

You can see the gallery of my best images (well, what I consider to be my best ones) from the 2 days of shows, CLICK HERE.

Here are a couple samples from the day, but check out the others.

I’ve also uploaded a few to my portfolio over at 500px.com. Check out that site and like my photos (if you do)

Now we’ve got 2 short work weeks because of Good Friday and Easter Monday, so that’s nice.  I really should have booked a few days holiday while the kids are off.. still not too late I suppose, might have to book a day or 2 off next week.

I’ve booked myself for a 2 hour Models Location Workshop run by Tracey Robinson over at Red Fish Photography.

I’ll be sure to blog about that afterwards.

A couple weeks ago there was a competition announced by The Grafton Shopping Centre looking for photographers to submit their contact info along with 2 sample photos they’ve shot, from those entrants they would select 6 that would go through and be asked to shoot the fashion shows that will take place during the Love Cambridge Fashion and Beauty weekend that runs March 30 – April 1.

I’ve just received an email to confirm that I’m one of the six who have been selected to come and shoot over the weekend.  One of those six will then have one photo selected that will be printed in Style Magazine and receive a £50 gift voucher as well.

The two photos I submitted with my entry were:

Lisa and Emma on a bench in Milton park last October

Lisa in the studio.

I’m very pleased to have been selected and will really enjoy shooting the shows.  As my friends will know, and if you read my blog you’ll know, I’m trying to find my new “thing” and photography is something I’ve been getting very passionate about over the last couple of years.  This is the year I want to do really kick it off and make something bigger happen.  I’m still working out what it is I really want to shoot, but I’m finding myself really leaning towards people, I’ve always liked to shoot people but it’s always been from a more detached way.  I want to be more interactive with the subjects now.

Watch this space … photos from the weekend will be posted early next week I expect.

Another business trip coming up … heading off to NYC for almost a week. I’m definitely going to B&H Photo on this trip. I’m also still waiting to hear if my request for an observation shift with the FDNY EMS has been approved… if so, then it’ll be an 8 hour shift on Sunday with them.

Of course I’ll be taking my camera with me, hopefully I’ll get a chance to get some good photos.