shooting wiiiiddddddde open . . .

Lately I have been feeling the need to challenge myself . . . whether it is shooting at different angles, working with composition, or wanting simply a different feel to my images, I have been seeking a new creativity. And of course, it brought me right back to where I began, which is to shoot wide open, as much of the time as I possibly can.

To the non-photog, this means shooting so that you have the strongest depth of field possible that your lens allows. To the photog, this might be making you cringe. :)

It is not something I do with every single image, but excluding family and wedding party photos, it is something I am doing as often as I can. To me, it creates an etheral look about my images. It turns a simple portrait into something with depth. It is equally as beautiful to me as shooting a couple in love with the sun setting behind them . . .

Lately I have been involved in some casual discussions about why people book me, why they book others, what makes them decide on a photographer . . . and my response is always, because photography is an art like any other. You are either drawn to a person's work, or you aren't. So while we need to provide a certain consistency among the images we take, and ensure we are capturing the most important events of a wedding celebration, we also need to photograph in a way that reminds us why we do this for a living. In a way that brings us happiness and excitement for the next project. And in the end, I am honored and thrilled to book the clients I do, and I am extremely happy for couples who choose a different photographer, because I respect the need to feel someone's work out, and go with their gut. I really am. For me, this is my style, and it is how I love to shoot.