Had a interesting morning. Our office is in between the police dept and the 911 building. A guy last night at 1am decided to climb the 911 tower and has been up there ever since. Our building and parking lot is roped off. Just out side our office they are negotiating with Joey who obviously is not all there. Been standing outside since 8:30am. Why not come down, he has a AC place where he is going, along with 3-meals, his meds, tv and a comfortable place to sleep all for free.
Bryce is a senior this year. We had our pre-portrait planning session, sometimes we get so busy with a past client that I think maybe we should just bypass the planning session. I’m so glad we didn’t. Our number one goal is to capture the subject’s personality, hobbies and their interests at this stage of their life. We photographed Bryce at Shingle Creek at age 4 back in 1998. His mother wanted to go back to Shingle Creek now that he is a high school senior and 17-year old. I remember Bryce as a 4-year old, In fact I used Bryce’s image on my business card. During our talk, I knew I wanted to combine the images from 13-years ago and now as a high school senior. Bryce is a great and a willing subject. He had all the toys, his grandfather’s shot gun, his shotgun, fishing rod and a 70lb bow and arrow. Shingle Creek is a beautiful setting with the water and green foliage. You could not have hand picked a better location for Bryce, the outdoorsmen that he is. Thank you Bryce and mom, it truly was a pleasure serving you once again. I love my job.
There's nothing like an annual tune-up to keep things in top condition. For example, experts advise changing the batteries in your smoke detector every 5-6 months( when time changes), anticipating the winter season of shorter days, heating systems and Christmas tree lights and candles. This all makes sense.
For photographers now is the perfect time for an annual tune-up of your camera gear. Fall is just around the corner, so this is the perfect time to perform your annual camera tune-up. Let's look at the simple steps you can take right now to guarantee that you'll be ready for great photo opportunities
Battery Check-up.
Rechargeable batteries for digital cameras eventually lose the ability to hold their charge. For this reason, you will need to replace them every few years. Consider buying a second battery for your camera so you can stay ahead of the game and always have a fresh battery to replace the one you are using in your camera. Professionals almost always carry spare batteries. If you are taking a long trip, don't forget your charger. There are even car chargers.
Memory Cards.
If you have plans for a vacation, family reunion, or other big event in the coming months, it makes sense to have extra memory cards ahead of time. Don't wait to buy them at airports or expensive tourist stores.
The price of storage continues to drop, so if you've been eyeing a bigger card, perhaps it's time to get that added capacity — 4 GB cards and even the 16 GB seem to be getting more affordable with every passing day.
Keeping Your Camera Clean.
We recommend only minimal cleaning, which we'll cover shortly. The most important thing is to try to avoid the need to clean in the first place. Try to keep your camera away from the elements that cause the most harm: dirt, dust, sandy grit, and saltwater spray are the mortal enemies of most types of cameras. Keep your camera protected if you're on a windy beach and the sand is flying. Don't get too close to those big waves while taking the picture of your nephew frolicking in the surf. Use your zoom lens instead.
If you want to take pictures in the surf, or poolside, or even underwater, check out some of the waterproof solutions made by Aquapac.
It goes without saying that it's best to keep your camera off the picnic table or other spot where it might be vulnerable to a spilled soda or a glob of jelly from a passing sandwich. And remember to be careful when you change memory cards. We know someone who lost a week's worth of travel photographs when she accidentally dropped her card full of images into a glass of red wine while sitting in a scenic café.
Cleaning Your Camera.
The one part of your camera's exterior that you must keep clean is the lens. Dust and fingerprints will compromise the optical efficiency of your lens. That brings us to the most important subject related to cleaning your camera — before you clean your camera or any other photo equipment you own, remember one thing: Keep it simple. I've heard too many stories about people damaging their cameras by cleaning too aggressively. For most cleaning chores, I suggest you use just two tools — a micro fiber cleaning cloth and a rubber squeeze bulb.
Micro Fiber Cleaning Cloth.
Micro Fiber weaving is a relatively new invention. The extremely fine fibers and very tight weave of this cloth makes it possible to remove dust, grit, and even the oil left by fingerprints without the use of any solvent. These cloths are not expensive, and they can be washed and reused, so the initial investment of a few dollars is well spent.I use the micro fiber cloth to give a general cleaning to the camera body and the front of the outer lens element. If you have a really stubborn fingerprint to remove, you can breathe very gently on the lens to let a little moisture from your breath condense on the lens, and then wipe it with the cloth.
With digital cameras you have to be careful not to get dust on the sensor. Every time you change lenses you expose the interior of the camera to the outside environment. Many users habitually point the camera down when changing lenses in the hope that such a position will minimize the chances of dust blowing into the interior. But what's the big deal? You can just use one of those sensor-cleaning brushes or a blower (better not use canned air for the latter; the propellant might get on the sensor) and the problem is gone. Or is it? How serious a problem is sensor dust? Well, if you shoot frequently at wide apertures you may not even see it. Also, it's more likely to be noticeable in areas of uniform density on the image, like clear sky, rather where you have lots of busy detail. Dust specs will likely be more visible on large prints. If you mostly make 4 x 6 inch prints, you can probably forget about it. Finally, the dust specs can be easily spotted out in Photoshop or other image editor but keep in mind those specs will be on every single frame as long as the dust is there. Sensor dust (the dust is not on the sensor itself but rather on a filter in front of the sensor) is a fact of life when using a DSLR. Most manufacturers have developed technology to deal with this, technology that shakes off the dust. If you think you have a problem with dust on the sensor we recommend sending it to the manufacturer for cleaning. There are tools to do this yourself, but be careful not to damage anything or you will void the warranty.
Final Tip: A Bag Helps
One difference between pros and photo hobbyists is that pros keep their cameras in bags. A bag is likely to provide much better protection for your camera and other equipment than if you keep your camera loose in your suitcase, handbag, or briefcase. There are lots of soft and compact bags you can use to protect your camera.
If you do keep your camera in a bag, and if there's room, there's one other very inexpensive accessory I recommend — a plastic bag that's big enough to hold your camera, extra camera memory cards, and any other accessories. I find this plastic bag is very handy when I encounter a sudden thunderstorm or find myself on a boat that can catch a wave or spray of its own wake. I just open the bag and pop my entire camera bag into it. Believe me, it has come in handy more than once.
Just follow these simple tips, and your camera will be ready for all the great photo opportunities that life has to offer.
–Chuck DeLaney
The composite family is a wonderful NEW option for large groups. Rather than trying to get 14-plus grandkids to smile all at once, we photograph individual families one at a time. Later we artfully arrange them into the large group (at least 40” long). The long nature of the finished product makes for a perfect art piece above your living room sofa. The Lindsey family did just that last month. Keith is from Georgia and he commissioned us to create their family portrait while in Florida. As us about the “Generation session” while family members visit during the holidays.
Sure we still do the “Traditional Family portrait”, this timeless piece of art has matured and become even more elegant at Bruce Wilson. Composition is everything. We try our hardest to show relationships and families. What about going to your Home for a portrait session? Nothing symbolizes a family more than a portrait created in their own home. Let us light your family portrait in your home or yard for a truly unique piece of art.
It’s a trip that will make a lasting memory. A chance to go see real fall leaves in the mountains. The locations are incredible and a must see. Air travel has become very affordable or you can drive to the Gatlinburg, TN in a day. Dates and times are extremely limited. If you want a truly unique family portrait in a beautiful outdoor setting with real fall leaves and fall weather, call today. As an added bonus the next person who books their family session with us will receive 25-Christmas Cards free, regularly $395, now only $295. Tennessee Trip: October 21-13. I will guarantee you will have a great relaxing few days off in the mountains while getting you into the Christmas spirit!
Our girls! Time moves so fast. I can’t believe that they are in 7th & 5th grade already, where does time go?
Ally at age 12, loves horses and drawing horses. I happen to think she is pretty good at it. I told her when I was her age I used to draw as well. So with that said I wanted to capture who and what she is doing at this stage of her life. She has always been my Poser/ photogenic one. She helped me take images of our two dogs. One of the “gifts” that I see in her is she sees when the picture is right… just before I take it! She knew the moment I captured the image of our dog, Kiwi; she knew I had it. She asked me the other day to teach her how to become a photographer. Can you say a third generation? Dog Pic Here
Emmy, age 10, Emmy is the boy we didn’t have, things come easy to her. She is athletic but yet she still loves to dress up. She is a straight A student and really doesn’t have to study all that much and gets upset if she doesn’t understand something. I found out on a Wednesday that she had a spelling test on Friday! So we started working on her words as we drove to school. She spelled them correctly as quickly as I could get them out. She informed me I needed to ask them "faster". (While snapping her fingers at me). I had to LOL.
Awards & Stuff
We just got back from the Florida Professional Photographer's Convention last week. Each year I’m blown away (no pun intended for this time of year) by the quality of images at our state level! Each print competition can be very rewarding and/or very humbling. This year we happened to do fairly well. The image titled “Behind Glass” in the portrait of a high school senior/women category scored very well. One thing that I’m rather proud of is the images that I submitted for competition were from actual commissioned clients. 
The second image was titled “Santana” (Christian) who is a high school senior. I love capturing moments that show their personality, hobbies and stories all of which have sentimental value to them. I really like the simplicity of the image as well. The hardest thing I have to do is keep it simple. This portrait did well in the “portrait of a man category”!
