Private Workshops I mean Woodshops

You can read more about the Woodshops at http://www.awoodshop.net.  As soon as angie puts the dates down for the other Woodshops you will be able to signup.  Angie did you hear that.  In the meantime we are available for Private Workshops and we just gave one yesterday.  Even we have a lot of fun teaching at these.  Teaching is really a passion of Angies, we would have been blind not to  tell that when she went to school again after getting her PR/Marketing degree to go back to school to become an educator.  

If you were thinking about taking one of the Woodshops, here is a great opportunity to get in at a discount.  

The only fine print:  To get this price it must be during a weekday and in April

Professional Photographers of Colorado

We have been invited by Professional Photographers of Colorado to speak at the Wedding Event this year. It is going to be a lot of fun and after our program we will be doing a hands on shooting clinic.  It is open to everyone, but I think once you hang out with the great people from the Colorado Chapter you will want to come to more of these.

We are super excited to meet everyone and will be talking about bridal sessions, our business and will be showing the collodion process we are using as well as the replica camera we have had made.

You can find more information at PPCOLORADO

9a – Registration at the Parker Villa 10750 North Pine Drive – Parker, CO – MAP
10a – Noon – Andy & Angie’s Program
Noon – 1p – Lunch (provided)
1p – 5p – Hands-on shooting clinics

Interviewed by WPPI Radio Podcast on ITUNES

Two days ago we twittered about doing an interview with Scott Shepard for WPPI Radio.  You can download it from Itunes under podcasts or you can listen to it here.  

WPPI Radio Interview with Andy and Angie Wood.  There are a lot of great interviews that will give you a sneak peak of what they are going to be speaking about.

If you want to look over all the podcasts with all the speakers.  Here is the link feed://www.insidemacmedia.com/rss/wpi.xml

How to Get Inspired and Stay Inspired with your Photography

One of the hardest parts of being a professional photographer is making sure to stay fresh and inspired. Its easy to get bogged down, doing the same thing shooting at the same venues. When your work becomes uninspired, you business struggles. Brides and clients, can tell which photographers are doing new and innovative things. They can tell who is inspired.

The biggest inspiration to our work is wanting to please our clients. We want them to be happy and excited about their images. We feed off their excitement, and the opportunity to create something unique.

When you need a little push for inspiration here are a few ideas that might help you.

1.  Take the next photo- I watched a documentary about Sally Mann about a year ago and I don’t have the exact quote but she talked about taking that next picture to getting over being burned out. She talked about with every great picture you take it almost seems impossible to take the next one. It almost seems impossible to get something better. Her suggestion was to just take the next photo even if its not a masterpiece.

2. Watch a Movie- Cinematographers use light as well. Look at their compositions and lighting. Some of the best and brightest are in Hollywood.

3. Go to the City- Head into the nearest City. Take pictures of lines, and structure and texture.

4.  Go to the Zoo- Get some pictures of the animals. Look at natures patterns and textures. It can be difficult to get a great shot at the Zoo because of the enclosures. Thinking outside the box will be rewarded.

5.  Go to the Race Track- Whether its dirt bikes or nascar. Take your camera. Maybe rent a longer lens. Practice shooting something fast. If you have never tried panning this could be a great time.

6.  Go to Photo.net- Get an account head to the galleries. Easy to browse galleries, in all sorts of categories. Make sure to look in different categories than you usually shoot.

7.  Take a trip to Barnes and Noble- Get a coffee, check out a few magazines. Then head over and look at some of the books. Pick up something like a book on composition or lighting. Buy it.

8.  Go to the Music Store or Browse Itunes- Looking at CD packaging is sure to inspire you. Look at the lighting, the branding, the story that is being told

9.  Watch the top 10 or 20 countdowns on MTV or VH1- Music Videos are on the cutting edge. The lighting, the outfits, the angles and locations. Watch the story and how its marketed to each market.

10. Compete in a photograph Contest or Competition-  You will have to examine your work.  Make it better and present it.  This is a great way for self discovery.

12.  Different Lens-  Shoot with a lens you barely use or have never used.

13.  Different Camera-  If you are digital shoot something analog.  If you are analog shoot something digital.  Poloroids, Holgas, Lomo, are a great place to start.

14.  Help someone- As a photographer you have a wonderful gift.  Find a non-profit, an organization you believe in and donate your vision.

15.  Play with Textures-  Find interesting things with interesting textures.  Peeling paint, Rust, Concrete, the list is endless.  Many of these can be considered a work of art

16.  Use the Textures-  Use the textures as overlays in Photoshop.  You can change your photography into something different and unique

17.  Go Macro-  Shoot something small.  Look at the little things you pass by and ignore and forget about.  Open your eyes you will be amazed.

18.  Play with Colors-  Go out and shoot anything colorful.  Bring them into Photoshop and saturate them some more.

19.  No Color-  Shoot anything as long as its not color.  Be mindful of what makes a great B/W.  

20.  Take a Photography Class-  Get some instruction, learn how others see.  Great places for instruction are Local Community Colleges or Professional Workshops.  

21.  Go to Art Museum-  Everything in the Art Museum will inspire you.  Learn how painters think, it will help your photography in ways you can’t imagine.

22.  Get a Model-   Make sure to pay them.  No TFP shoots here.  This will eliminate you having to produce a great image.  Shoot how and what you want without penalty.  See what you come up with

23.  Shoot self potraits-   Your always around, and you probably have a camera.  Thinking of all the unique angles and ways of shooting with expand your mind.

24.  Make some Photography Friends-  Mentorship, Comrade-re  can be great things.  See and learn how others think

25.  Join a photography Organization-  No matter what you shoot there is probably others doing it.  Join an organization for support and friendship.