The Fairlanes Rock Gino's East

The Fairlanes took Gino's East - Lake Zurich by storm, rocking out tunes from the 50's through the 80's.

The group has an obvious following as witnessed by the numerous fans who turned out to hear them play. Not only did Gino's East have new patrons who may not have heard them play before, but an entire group of Fairlane fanatics were there as well. Obviously, there must be something to their performances that command that kind of dedication!

Also interesting is the fact that their drummer is a woman! Not often do you see or hear that, and drummer Gail Allen did not fail to lay down a solid backbeat for the rest of the band to play with. Keyboardist Dan Boulos, Guitarist Greg Nashan, Bassist Sam Mulvey and vocalist Jim Fletcher easily filled in the rest of the sound and together, they covered tune after tune of memorable music.

This group plays a lot... so get out there and check them out! (Be sure to click on each photo for a closer look!)

Etch-A-Sketch

Some friends and I were discussing Etch-A-Sketch recently. I thought it would be funny to show up to a wedding one day without my camera and just bring an Etch-A-Sketch and announce, "I'm ready to do your pictures!" I wonder how well that would go over... No? How about just showing up with a cell phone in hand and saying the same thing? Better?

My Best Report Card in Elementary School

This is my second grade report card. While you may wonder why someone who got so many "E" marks would be proud, consider that the Chicago Public School system (at least back then) didn't use the ABCDF system. Instead, they used the EGFU system. This means, Excellent, Good, Fair and Unsatisfactory. (Math and Reading also have grade levels which use an A through I rating... it's easy to confuse that with the grade, however. I think they should have come up with a different lettering scheme to differentiate it more.)

After second grade, I was "double promoted" into fourth grade. I skipped third grade.

I asked a number of my former classmates who had double promoted with me what they thought about being double promoted. Looking back, was it a good idea? It seems only I felt it was. Everyone else didn't.

Skipping third grade put all of us at a disadvantage both academically and also socially. A lot of foundational material in subjects like math and science is covered in third grade. And, being one year younger than everyone else, socially we may not have been ready as well. But for me, I adapted to the situation around the fifth grade. I did struggle in the fourth grade though. My grades dropped and for that I wasn't happy. But by the fifth grade, I think I had caught up. Socially, where others did not feel they fit in, I was ok with it. I didn't mind being a year younger than the other people in my classes, and quite frankly, most never knew either.

Would I do it again if I were given the chance? Yes! All of the others (so far) have said no. Would I allow my own daughter to do it if she had the chance? No. Double standard? Maybe. Although I was ok with it, that doesn't mean everyone would be. Why take the chance? (Be sure to click on the image to get a closer look.)

So Why Do Photos Cost So Much?

Look at the post I did below on Pro Shots versus Snap Shots.

If I were to sell the photo below, perhaps I might ask for $20 for an 8x10. Or maybe I'd ask for $50. Or $100. There is no set standard for selling a photograph.

So why do photos cost so much?

Well, consider this:

1. The equipment used to take that photo cost a lot of money. It was done with pro quality gear.
2. Training. I've had years of training which cost a lot of money. College classes, seminars, etc.
3. Experience. It took years of taking photos to know how to compose and expose properly.
4. Printing. Pro printing isn't necessarily all that cheap. Doing it at a drug store might be though, but the quality isn't always there.
5. Parking, gas, entrance fees. Sometimes this plays a factor in even getting the shot.
6. Access. Sometimes you need a pro photographer's credentials even to get the shot.
7. Time. Time is money and sometimes you have to wait around just to take the photo.
8. Advertising. Can't sell anything if nobody knows you are trying to sell it.
9. Other vendors. At times a stylist, hair dresser, or make up artist might be needed. $$
10. Other Overhead. Pros often have studios or offices that require rent. That is expensive.
11. Errors and Omissions Insurance. Costly, but protects the clients.
12. General Liability Insurance. Protects the pro, but also costs money.

These are just some factors as to why photos cost what they do. It's sometimes more than you might think. If you think, "It's just a picture! Why does it cost so much?" Now you know.

Can A Pro Shoot A Simple Snapshot?

St. Louis Science Center

Can a pro photographer shoot a simple snapshot? Sure! To me, this is a simple snapshot. But to others, this is a pro shot.

I suppose you can say that because the image is properly exposed and the composition is pleasing, there had to be some kind of thought made before the shot was taken. So does that qualify this as a simple snapshot?

Some people believe a snapshot is simply that... a quick snap of the shutter release. No thinking, no nothing. What typically is used for snapshots is a "point and shoot" camera... you know, the ones you can put in your shirt pocket. But what about this shot? It was taken with a Fuji S5 Pro digital Single Lens Reflex camera with a Tamron 17-50 mm f 2.8 lens. The camera was "set up" to optimize for ambient light photography... auto white balance, auto ISO, aperture priority exposure, fast camera lens.

So is this truly a snapshot?

With a point and shoot camera, most likely the built-in flash would have been used for a shot like this. That would have made the shot look totally different. A bright light in the front would have lit the kids in the foreground just fine, but the background would have been totally darkened. With this shot, the lighting is even throughout because the existing ambient light was relied upon. It looks natural and it looks basically like what the true scene was in real life.

So is this truly a snapshot?

To me, this is a snapshot. I shot it fast. I didn't think much about it. I didn't spend more than perhaps 3 seconds to stop, aim and fire. While you may argue that I was equipped with a camera with more capabilities than the typical person might have with him for a vacation shot, it's still a snapshot... to me.

If this is a snapshot, then what would this shot have looked like if it were a "pro shot?" Well, perhaps I would have hired professional models. Then maybe I would have positioned them in the photo so that each person had a specific reason to be there. Maybe I would have played with changing the lighting by adding additional lights or reflectors so that the kids in the front would not be so dark in the photo. And maybe I would have thought more about the composition.

With all that effort to take a shot, I'd consider that a pro shot.

This is a snapshot... to me at least. But it's not a bad snapshot at all, for 3 seconds worth of effort. It took me a lot longer to write this post than it did to take the shot. (Click on the photo to get a closer look.)

What Have I Been Up To Lately?

Since finding my former classmates on Facebook, I've been reminiscing about all the fun times we had growing up. It almost seems like we never were apart, but it's been something like 38 years!

I am excited at the thought of seeing them all again. We plan to do some kind of reunion soon.

While some of us had fuzzy memories, others filled them in for us and the memories came back. Still others had great memories and even remembered names of other classmates. Lots of stories have been told already and some even were a bit shocking.

Still the jokester, I could not help but insult each and every one of them. Luckily, they are all taking it well. No death threats against me... yet. :)

Recently, I had a problem with my knee and so I'm now resting and hanging out at the computer. With all that "free time" sitting around, I could not help but write a bunch of things on the Facebook site. Hopefully, none of it will come back to haunt me in the future because as we all know, things said in cyberspace stays there forever. And photos posted remain as well.

So that's what's been happening lately. Sorry, no photos to post today. When my knee feels better, I'll be sure to make up for that and post a bunch of things for everyone to see.

Friends from Grade School Contact Me!

Grover Cleveland Elementary School

Yesterday, I was contacted by two of my past friends from grade school! I have not seen these two old friends in something like 37 or 38 years! Being back in contact with them brought back so many memories.

You see, these two dear old friends and I had gone through most of our grade school classes together. We all "double promoted" from 2nd grade straight to the 4th grade. Essentially, we skipped 3rd grade and went directly to 4th. And yet another friend of mine (who also has been in contact with these two friends and me) skipped not only 3rd grade, but also 7th grade as well.

It seems the internet does indeed put old friends together again. I can honestly say that without the internet, I cannot think of another way to easily get back in contact with people. Technology is amazing!

Both of my old friends are people who attended Grover Cleveland Elementary School in Chicago. We grew up together and experienced the same things that only childhood schoolmates can. Just talking over the old times, I am remembering more and more about being at the age of 5 to 11. It's surprising how much I still remember from that time period. But my other friend Randy, has an even better memory... for names! Whereas I could remember the kids from my old class photos, he remembers their names too!

I hope that one day we can all get together again. One of my friends actually lives in the same suburb as me! We just have to get together one day!

I'm very glad to be back in contact with them. Who knows, in time, perhaps we can locate our other classmates as well. (Edit note: I was just in contact with yet another friend this morning! That's three in the course of less than 24 hours!)

Chicago Chinatown 5K Run - July 11, 2009

This girl has the right idea.

This is the only way that I could do a 5K run too..

Being pushed in a stroller!

Don't leave after the main race. The kids have one of their own!

(Photos from the July 11, 2009 Chinatown 5k Run are now on-line at www.russlowe.instaproofs.com)

It's been a couple of years since the last Chicago Chinatown 5K Run was held. I had the opportunity to photograph one in 2005. Today, I got an email announcing that this race will once again be held in 2009! Besides the big race for grown-ups, they also hold a quarter-mile Youth Run for ages 6 to 10.

This year's prizes include a Ninendo Wii and Apple iPod Nano.

I've been to two of these races in the past. No, I didn't run... but I did help out. It's fun to see everyone getting ready before the race and then standing right up in the front to take photos of the runners at the starting line. Then, as the race progresses, it's just a short wait before we see the first runners coming in to the finish line. Wow! These guys are fast!

If you've ever wanted to try a race, this is a good one to do. It's 5K, so it is relatively quick. As a spectator, you aren't waiting around a long time for the runners to return either. And the best part? Well... hey, it's Chinatown! After the race, think about all the great restaurants and shops you can go to afterwards! :)

Click here to see the details of the upcoming race! Photographers... how about meeting in Chinatown to do a photojournalistic coverage of the event? Who's up for it? Currently, I'm not booked for a wedding that date. So there's a good chance I could be there this year!

Tutoring Sessions Going Strong

I never realized that so many people wanted help with their photography until I put a small ad on Craigslist to see if anyone wanted my help.

I don't charge a lot for this help... and it seems that my students have all benefited from this little bit of help. I had a couple of my students tell me that they had learned more in one 3 hour session with me than some full day seminars they attended. I think that's because I concentrate on areas that my students need the most help. And, they are getting individualized attention.

Too often today, many people who buy a digital camera want to become a professional photographer. You wouldn't believe how many people come up to me and say, "I just bought a new digital camera and I'd like to get some business taking photos for people!" Unfortunately, I've seen some of the photos that these "wanna-bees" produce and they are far from professional. That's not to say they can't be improved. A little training goes a long way.

Still, some others who buy a new D-SLR don't want to be a pro, they just want to be able to take good photos for vacation or other family events. That's great! I'm always glad to help someone try to take better photos.

If you or someone you know could benefit from some training, email me or call me. I'd be happy to see if I can help. While most of my students have preferred to get one-on-one training, I'd like to see if some others might want to save a few dollars and try a classroom training of perhaps 4 or 5 people instead. Spread the word!

John Hersey High School Orchesis - Feb 26-29

Images taken with a Nikon D3 and Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 VR lens

Starting tonight, John Hersey High School Orchesis will be presenting their annual dance show.

I had the opportunity to photograph them this year and got some great shots! During their practices on Monday and Tuesday, I shot nearly 4000 images. Why so many? Well, the first day was done for me to get an idea of what to expect during the show. Many of those shots were done "wide" so that I could review the images and see what to shoot the next day. So on Tuesday, I shot "tighter" and got more close ups.

Often in events like these, a lot of images are taken. That's not to say all images are good! We're looking for the few that stand out and often that's done within milliseconds in timing. So while a grouping of images are taken of a given scene, perhaps one will be a "keeper" out of the bunch.

These two images are examples of what you can expect to see at the show. Come out to Arlington Heights, IL and see the show yourself! The shows startat 7:30 PM. My daughter choreographed several of the dances too!

St. Louis Science Center

This museum reminded me of a combination of the Museum of Science and Industry and The Field Museum (both from Chicago.) In fact, the "Sue" dinosauer exhibit was being shown here when I went to visit last week. Well, the real Sue is probably still in Chicago, but a traveling version was in St. Louis last week.

Definitely a facility designed more for children perhaps in the middle school age, the Science Center still had interesting things in it for the adults too. Lots of hands-on exhibits besides just static displays, the Science Center offered a lot for free. Parking was $8, but that's still reasonable.

All images were taken with a Fuji S5 Pro camera and a Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 lens.

Godin - Multiac Grand Concert Duet

This is the guitar I usually go to when playing a solo live.

I prefer to play nylon-stringed guitars when playing smooth jazz tunes and the Godin works great in a live setting. Since there isn't a large sound hole in the guitar, the chance for feedback is slim. But this guitar is "chambered" internally. The pickup is an LR Baggs Duet system which is controlled by one of the sliders on the top of the guitar. The other sliders control volume and tone. You can even null out problem feedback frequencies by using the notch filter and/or phase switch.

The guitar is set up like a standard classical guitar with a 2" nut width and a neck to body connection at the 12th fret.

Besides being powered by a battery, the guitar can also be phantom powered with 48 Volts from your PA mixer via a mic cable instead of the standard guitar cable with a 1/4" plug. This allows constant power without fear of a battery draining out.

While it does look a little different than most classical guitars, it plays very well and sounds great when plugged-in. The body is just a little thicker than a typical electric guitar, but much thinner than an acoustic. Plays well and sounds great with lots of control over the tone of the guitar!

Fingerprints and the Polaroid MP4 Copy Camera

 (Image found on the internet)

Polaroid MP4 Copy Camera

(Image found on the internet)

I recall when I was first interning as an Evidence Technician that I was tasked to take some photos of any fingerprints I found on some evidence I had just recently dusted for fingerprints. The camera that we used in the crime lab for this function was the Polaroid MP4 copy camera. This huge camera system was mounted to a copy stand which had incandescent lights positioned to eliminate as many reflections as possible.

The camera could take both standard Polaroid photos as well as take photos with large 4"x5" sheet film (large format film.) For this work, I was asked to take the shots with 4x5 film.

Being new at all of this work, I didn't know at the time what constituted a "good" fingerprint from a bad one. I was, after all, just a new intern. So every smudge I found, I photographed. I must have taken 50 or 60 shots. Well, after the film was developed, my supervisor called me over to tell me that not a single shot I took was worth taking! He explained to me that there were certain qualities in the fingerprints that needed to be there in order to make any kind of identification. Often in court, fingerprint examiners will be asked by the defense attorney, "How many points are needed to have an identification?" This is a difficult thing to answer, but in general, I'd say you'd need around 9 points to make a decent identification. But some experts can do it with less.

Back to my story... None of the prints I found on the evidence had a significant amount of points to make an ID. Most were just smudges. Totally worthless. I had basically wasted 50 to 60 sheets of 4"x5" film. That was expensive and time consuming! I felt awful!

But my supervisor said that everyone who comes through the lab makes this same mistake. In the hopes of catching a criminal, interns without any experience will document anything and everything. While it was a costly mistake to make, I learned an important lesson that day. Take photos of only the prints that had a chance to be identified. This meant that even though I was not a Fingerprint Examiner, I had to make the decision in the field as to which fingerprints found would actually get sent to the fingerprint examiner to examine!

From that point on, I made sure I learned more about what was considered a "good print" from a "bad one." You can find all sorts of "bad" prints on evidence. But it's always exciting when you find a good one and it get's identified. Yes, my work in the crime lab has sent criminals to prison. I did that even when I was just a lowly intern. By the way, it would be a terrific find to get a print on a piece of evidence that had the kind of ridge detail that you see in the image above. That would be an incredible find! Most likely you'd only get a small portion of a print and chances are it would not be as "clean" as you see it above. FYI: fingerprints are catagorized as "Whirls," "Loops," and "Arches." What kind of print would you call the one above?

Film

Kodak Portra Film

Years ago, I shot only with film. That's because that's all we had before digital!

Kodak VPS film, later replaced by the Kodak Portra series of film was what I used to shoot weddings and any work I needed which might want to be retouched. The film had a great lattitude allowing me to be "off" in my exposures and still be able to be brought back to full image quality.

But when digital became a medium where the average professional photographer could afford it, I moved to the new format. Still, film was something that was familiar and comfortable to me. But I haven's shot a single frame of film in many years.

While film has it's following, I've long abandoned it. I recall when my family used to own a stereo store, when Compact Discs first came out, all the high-end audiophiles panned it. "Too bright! Too Sterile sounding! It doesn't have the warmth of analog!" Yeah, we heard it all. But some of what was said was true. CD's did sound a tad too bright... initially. But as producers got more familiar with the new format, and new technologies were being developed to help tame the new digital format, the CD became accepted. Still, analog vinyl enthusiasts still exist and people still buy high-end turntables, cartridges, pre-amps and vinyl recordings (if they can find good copies.)

Is this what's happening in film as well? Are the only ones still using film the "die hard" enthusists? Yes and no. Many commercial photographers still shoot in film. There's a certain "film quality" that exists and it's hard to capture the same look with digital. But for most practical purposes, digital has taken over. It's easier to shoot and delete images you don't want or need and it doesn't cost you any extra money. With film, every frame you shoot is costing you money. So should film be abandoned simply because of cost? I don't think so.

If you want a certain "look" to your images, film can be the answer. If you like to shoot a lot and don't want to spend for every shot you take, digital is the way to go. So why not move totally to digital and forget film? Well, film is a totally different animal compared to digital. You can overexpose a shot with film and be just fine. If you do that with digital, the details will be gone and you can't get it back. With film if you underexpose a shot, it will print up looking "muddy." If you underexpose a little with digital, chances are, you can make it look just fine in Photoshop.

It's totally opposite with film compared to digital! Schools still teach film. If you take a photography class, there's a good chance you'll be taught film. They'll teach you the basics of photography and they'll teach you how to develop B&W film. Why? Well, it's a good way to see and learn the fundamentals of photography. Too often, people today buy digital cameras and all of a sudden, they think they are now pros in photography. I hate to tell you, but it takes a lot more than just a new shiny camera to be a pro. Learning the basics is very important. And there's no better way to learn than to be forced to shoot on a medium where you can't immediately see the results (unlike digital which have LCD screens on the back of the camera for instant gratification.) And, having to learn to develop film and printing a good image using "burning and dodging" techniques will teach you the fundamentals of what makes a good image.

Today, I use all the things I've learned in the past with film and film developing and printing when I work with digital. I try to get the best exposures I can and then I "fix" things in Photoshop by using the knowledge of what looks good when I used to shoot in film. Had I not had the experience of learning to develop and print in B&W and Color films, I don't think I would be as good a photographer today. Other photographers have commented to me that I know so much about the technical aspects of photography. Well, that's just because I come from the "old school of film." You'd be surprised how many of today's photographers have never shot in film! They went straight to digital! That's ok, but there still something about having first learned with film that is so satisfying.

Recording Gear

Tascam 38

Otari MX5050B-II

Tascam M520

Roland VS-880EX

(All photos found on the web... thanks to whoever photographed these images!)

Over the years, I've owned a variety of music recording equipment.

Since posting a link to some of the songs I've recorded in the past, I've gotten inquiries about what gear I've used. Well, before digital was invented, the old analogue open reel recorders were the only way to go. But with limited resources available, I have always been only able to purchase eight track gear. No, that's not the same as the old "8-track tape" equipment found in cars in the 60's! It just means eight individual recording tracks.

Open reel recorders ranged from mono "full-track" recorders all the way up to 48 track recorders. When I learned to work in studio recording with Gary Hedden from Hedden West Studios in the 70's, I learned on an old 16-track Ampex recorder and mixed on an old Sphere console. When I bought gear, I purchased a Tascam 38 eight track recorder, an Otari MX-5050B-II two track recorder and a Tascam M520 twenty input, eight bus mixer.

Today, I have a Roland VS-880EX digital workstation which is also 8 tracks. I had a Yamaha 16 track workstation for a short time, but sold it due to lack of time to work with it. I think if I were to buy another piece of recording gear today, it would be a 24 track recorder / workstation or perhaps I'd move to recording on the computer. While I do have Cubase (a 24 track digital recording software) for my computer, I've yet to use it. I prefer to work with workstations as I'm more familiar with something I can get my hands on. But I do see that computer recording is probably the way to go to save some space on my desktop!

My First "Good" Guitar

The very first guitar I owned was a cheap electric that was purchased from a store called Korvettes in Morton Grove, IL. My dad and I went there to find one so I could learn to play guitar. I believe it cost $59.95. It was similar to a Gibson ES-335 but it played awful. It had a very high action making it almost impossible to play anything past the 3rd or 4th fret.

One day, my dad went to a music store near where he worked and was planning on picking up a Fender Rhodes Suitcase 73 keyboard for my brother. While he was there, someone came into the store and asked if the store would buy back the guitar he had purchased from them, but the store was not interested. So my dad asked him what it was... a 1969 Fender Telecaster Thinline. My dad didn't know much about guitars, but he remembered me telling him that Gibson and Fender made some of the best guitars.

My dad asked the man how much he wanted for the guitar and case and he said, $175.00. My dad did not have that much cash on him, so he told the man that if he would go with him back to his company, he'd get the cash. The man agreed.

When I got home from school (I was about 10 years old), my dad told me he had something for me on the sofa. I couldn't believe it when I saw that rectangular Fender case laying on the sofa! When I opened it up, there was the Fender Telecaster Thinline! I was the luckiest kid around!

My dad was always good to me. And he always encouraged me and my brother and sister to practice and do well with our instruments.

As for that first guitar, I sold it for $59.95... yes, the same price we paid for it. And years later, we traded my Fender Telecaster Thinline guitar for a shiny new Gibson Les Paul Deluxe guitar. I've always regretted trading that Fender Telecaster. (I also traded the Gibson Les Paul Deluxe many years later too and regretted that as well.) Maybe one day, I'd like to get one of the re-issued copies of this guitar. I'd like to get one of the Gibson Les Paul Deluxe as well.

I found the photo above on the internet, but can't recall from which site I found it. While it's not the exact guitar I had, it looks exactly like it. One day...

Why I Post What I Do On My "Photography" Blog

Well, it seems that some of the content on my blog has some people scratching their heads. "Why does he post about that on his blog?"

Some topics are just not that politically correct if you are out to get business. Really, posting about "Holding The Date" can turn off potential clients. Sure can! But then others will also see that I speak my mind and I don't pull any punches... even if that means I could lose some potential clients as well. That's ok.

The thing is, sometimes you need to say what needs to be said. Would you rather work with someone who's afraid to address issues on the day of your wedding because it's not the popular thing to say? Or would you rather work with someone who's going to tell you exactly what needs to be done to get the wedding moving in the right direction?

You see, there are two ways to look at every issue. I just choose to look at it the way I think is right. And you may choose the other way. That's ok. Do what you think is right.

For me, I post about a LOT of different things... guitars, forensic work, computers, photography... yeah, there's a lot on here. But I don't see my blog as just a photography blog. It's a place for me to share things about me. I share about things that interest me and hope that they also interest you. And I share things that could affect you as well. Right or wrong, it's definitely not your average photography blog... because it's not just about photography!

Many people know that I'm also a moderator of The Acoustic Guitar Forum, one of the largest, if not the largest acoustic guitar on-line forums in the world. I've been a member for years there. And I have a lot of friends on there as well. So when you read about posts about guitars, you know it's for them... and for you... if you have an interest in music and guitars! It's not just about photography. Although, I might take a nice photo of a guitar and post it! That's the photography portion!

So you see, this blog is multi-purposed. While it does allow my wedding and portrait clients a way to see new work from me, it also serves as my own way to communicate to more than just wedding clients. Still, I hope and trust the content you read here is entertaining and educational at the same time!

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will become a regular visitor!

Will You Hold My Date Open? - An explanation for photographers and bridal couples

Before you read the following, please know that this is not a rant on my part. It's just basic education for both photographers and bridal couples since many people check my blog for this kind of advice. You most likely won't see something like this on other photographers blogs as it's considered "not good business." But I'm a 19 year veteran of weddings. People expect me to be good at what I do and to be honest about all aspects of wedding photography. I hope you will read this in that light.


On occasion, photographers will have a request from a potential client they've met asking if the photographer will hold their date open while they go off to think about whether to book him/her. Or sometimes, the photographer will get that same request while the bridal couple takes their time to check out other photographers.

For me, my answer has always been, "The first person who signs a contract with me and secures the date with the required retainer, gets me for that date." This is the policy of many other professional photographers as well.

Sometimes the photographer may get an upset bride who will say, "That's not fair. We talked to you first and yet you booked someone else after us." Think about that...

What is really being said is this... "Hey, we don't want to commit to you. But we'd like for you to commit to us. While we are thinking about it, can you put your business on hold? Should someone want our date, can you call and let us know and give us first crack at it? We may not be able to come in right away when you call, but hold that date for us. Don't meet with the other person because we just might want to book you." Then, perhaps a week later (way after the fact that the other bride has gone off to find someone else who is definitely available on her wedding date) the first couple calls or emails back, "We've decided to go with someone else. Thanks."

Where does this leave the photographer? Well, basically the photographer is out of luck... from both parties who were considering that date.

Sounds fair, right?

This hasn't happened to me in a long time. Probably because I won't let it. But I recently read a thread on one of the photography forums I frequent about this very thing. I can't help but wonder why it's ok for the photographer to take the chance of losing business for someone who can't make up their mind or wants to just prolong committing to him. How is that right?

My advice to all brides has always been, "If you find someone you like to photograph your wedding, book him on the spot." I tell that to everyone. Now that may mean they won't book me but will book someone else instead. That's ok. I'd rather they work with someone they feel most comfortable with... and that could be because of price issues or because of personality issues. Or perhaps it's style issues. Whatever. But to ask someone to hold a date without a commitment so you can think about it is just not right.

On the other hand, many couples can't make a decision on the spot and that's ok too. If they need time to think about it, or to check out other photographers, that's ok. Just don't ask if the photographer will hold your date for you. That's the part that's not right. And don't assume that because you were first to meet with the photographer, that the date will be automatically held until you make up your mind. That's not right either.

Luckily for me, nobody has said this to me in a long, long time. But you know what my response will be if it is asked. The answer is "NO." But I do hope you'll come back anyway and can understand my position on this issue.

Harsh? Perhaps, if you don't understand why it has to be that way. All photographers who are doing this for a living are running a business for their livelihoods. Where you would not want to mess up your own livelihood, please don't ask to mess up the photographer's.

That's my two cents.

New Business Card Design

I was up late last night and decided to design a new business card. While the old "Horse and Carriage" card has gotten a lot of mileage for me, I felt it was time to make a change.

This card features my clients from last year, Michele and Tyler. While Michele was concerned that she would not look good in photos, I found that far from the case. She was a beautiful bride and she worked hard with me to make sure we got good photos.

I'm always happy when brides are willing to work a little to get the right shots. The more time we spend together taking photos of the bride and groom, the more choices you have for your album.

This new card design has a little more contemporary feel to it and that's good. I like the dynamics of the photo, don't you? Read Michele's nice testimonial on my webpage at www.russlowe.com

How Much Time To Allocate For An Appointment

Many brides ask me, "How long will our appointment take?"

Well, that all depends. If you don't like what you see and hear at our appointment, we could be finished in about 1/2 hour. But if you like what you see and hear, plan on perhaps 2 hours or even 2.5 hours! While that seems like a long time, often people I meet tell me they can't believe how the time flew by as we talked about their wedding and looked at albums.

In addition to that, signing a contract agreement takes time as well. By signing a contract, you lock in the date so that other brides coming in can't take the date away. How often does that happen? A lot more times than you might think! Certain dates are very popular and really, there are a limited amount of Saturdays available in any given "wedding season." So everyone is trying to find the right vendors quickly and lock in their dates.

My advice is this... if you find someone you like... book them immediately. It's always sad to tell someone whom I have met with earlier in the week that their wedding date had already been booked by another couple who came in after them with the same wedding date, but they signed a contract locking it in.

Oh, one more thing... be sure to leave enough room between your appointments with vendors. Lately, I've been meeting with potential clients who have had to leave our appointment early just to make it on time for their next appointment. While it may seem productive to schedule several appointments in one day, it's hard to cover everything necessary to tell you about your wedding photography if we are rushed to finish. What usually happens is that some things you really need to know about weddings is missed and forgotten. That's not good for you or for the photography! Please plan accordingly. You need at least 2 hours plus drive time from appointment to appointment.

More Songs Uploaded

I decided to upload a couple more songs for you to hear. Check them out at www.russlowe.com/music

Recorded Songs By Me

While many of my blog readers have seen a LOT of info about guitars and musicians here, most have not heard me play anything! So I decided to upload a few songs I recorded in the past. I haven't recorded anything in a while though... still, I sound pretty much the same anyway. I usually just lead worship at church and play guitar there.

If you go to www.russlowe.com/music, you'll get to hear an oldie but goodie entitled, "How Long." This is a song I used to play all the time back in the 70's... but I re-recorded this version around 2003. This is a slightly extended version of the old song by the group "Ace."

One of the other songs is an instrumental named, "Lights Out San Francisco." The arrangement is totally not by me... it's by guitarists Craig Chaquico along with Peter White. But I decided I wanted to find out how I'd sound doing it.

Check out the songs and let me know what you think! And yes, that's me playing and singing everything you hear on the recordings.

Another Computer Crash!

Not too long ago, I had a major computer crash which cost me over a week of work trying to get my computer back up and running. I had a corrupted data drive at that time which needed recovery work done. Luckily, I was able to do that myself with the help of data recovery software. But it ate up a lot of my time back then.

Being paranoid, I went out and bought a software called Second Copy which copies the files I want backed up on a consistent and automatic basis. Just before the crash this time (actually, my computer would not display anything on the desktop except the picture I used as a wallpaper on the screen) I had done the last backup earlier in the morning.

This time's computer problem made me lose perhaps 150 emails which I did not get a chance to move to the data drive and resided only on the C: drive of my computer. After trying everything from running "Last Known Good" and "Safe Modes" upon startup, I determined that it was hopeless to get the computer up and running. I even got several "blue screen" notices while trying to fix the computer. Blue Screens are known as the kiss of death in computers. The only thing left to do was to wipe the drive (reformat it) and to reinstall the operating system and all the programs.

So anyone who had sent me an email in the past few days, I'm sorry, but it's gone. However, the multiple thousands of other emails I have received over the years still remain safe as it was backed up on my data drive. All of my critical data and work is also safe. All that I lost with the crash this time around was time, some emails and some email addresses, plus my appointment calendar. Most of the calendar was backed up on my Dell handheld computer, however.

To get the computer working and to load all the programs back took one LONG day of effort. That's actually not too bad considering how long it took to fix the last crash! In fact, this crash helped me to clean up the computer by eliminating some programs I no longer use and also the re-installation actually helped speed up the computer as well.

If you want to be safe on your computer, store your data on an external hard drive and only use your internal C: drive to load your operating system and program files. If you ever have a crash like mine, you'll be able to get yourself back up and running in a faster time and you won't have to worry about lost data. You could even backup the C: drive completely too to get a faster recovery time... but I prefer to reload the programs as needed and to eliminate those I don't use anymore. Somehow a clean install always seems to speed up the processing time of the computer... at least for me.

Happy Chinese New Year!

"Gung Hay Fat Choy!" - This is the traditional Chinese greeting wishing congratulations and to have a prosperous and good year. Be sure to say this to every Chinese person you meet today!

This lunar New Year is the year of the Ox. You would be born in the year of the Ox if your birthday was in 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997 or 2009. But remember, each year, the actual date in a lunar year changes, so the change of the year doesn't always fall on January 26 as it does today.

Why not go to your favorite Chinese Restaurant today and celebrate the New Year?

Metallic Print Option for Leather Albums

I wish I could show how much different Metallic Prints look compared to standard prints on a blog, but I can't. The unique qualities of this print option has to be seen firsthand to be appreciated.

This year, my leather albums have a couple of new options... metallic prints for the albums and also Photo Covers.

It's not really that expensive to have your entire album printed on Metallic paper, so consider this option if you are looking at getting a wedding album. Each image takes on a special "sheen" that really grabs attention compared to a standard print.

Call for an appointment to see the new albums and album options!

A Little Creativity

With a little bit of Photoshop magic... I can create some fun images like this. If you want some of your images worked on... let me know! Cost is very minimal, but the fun factor is huge! Click on each image to see a larger size.

Nikon D3 with 70-200mm f2.8 VR lens

I'm often asked what I use to capture most of my images from afar.

Well, here it is... I use a Nikon D3 camera body with a Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G IF-ED lens. The combination is great for low light, distance shots. Sometimes I'll add on a Nikon SB-800 flash to it as well, but most often it's just as you see it here.

The camera and lens weigh about 6 lbs without the flash. It's not a lightweight by any means. But this combination allows me to capture great images from a distance in relatively low light. I'd say during the actual wedding ceremony, I use this combo the most. Often I am not allowed to get too close during the ceremony and very rarely am I allowed to use a flash. So it's not unusual for you to see me in the back of the church sanctuary shooting with this.

Heavy, but effective!

Happy Birthday... to me and my daughter!

My daughter and I share the same birthday... January 15. People always say, "Really? That's amazing!" But if you think about it, there's a 1 in 365 chance of that happening, so really it's not THAT amazing. Hey, we share the same birthday as Martin Luther King too... how amazing is that? :)

Now I won't tell you how old each of us are, but let's say this... both of these birthdays have major significance in the scheme of life. I'll let you try to figure that out...

School has been cancelled for her today because of the extreme cold temperature here in the Chicago area, so she's thrilled about that. But she has to study for final exams... bummer!

We'll go out later for dinner, but not much else is planned. I've got work to do and she's got studying to do. That's how we plan to spend our birthdays today.

Planet Groove at Blues Bar - Mount Prospect IL

Yesterday, my friends Harpist Jennifer Keller and her husband Chris invited me to join them to see Planet Groove play at Blues Bar in Mount Prospect, IL.

This seven piece band is appropriately named because they were always in the groove! Tight is the first thing that comes to mind. These guys have been playing together for a long time and you can tell. Everything from the rhythm to the horn section, it was right on the money.

I had never been to Blues Bar before although I've passed by it often. So when Jennifer emailed me a link to the band's website, I found out that they were playing nearby so we decided that it would be good to see the band play. A friend of hers is one of the saxophone players in the band and so it was fate that we would all connect.

Whenever I think of horns in a band, the first group that I think of is the rock group Chicago. So when Planet Groove broke into a series of Chicago tunes, I was thrilled! I'd seen the group Chicago play several times and they have been one of my all time favorite bands, so hearing Planet Groove cover material from them was really exciting!

And what about Blues Bar? Well, it was hopping! I had always thought that Mount Prospect closed down in the evening, but I was wrong! Everyone goes to Blues Bar! While Planet Groove didn't start playing until 9:30 PM, that didn't stop the clientele at Blues Bar. They kept coming in well past the hour.

Decorated with an authentic police car from the movie The Blues Brothers starring John Belushi and Dan Akroyd, this place was made for music. Blue neon lights carried on the theme of the Blues. Even after a significant amount of snowfall earlier in the day, it didn't stop the patrons from coming out to see Planet Groove. Oh and they have a HUGE monitor along the wall of the bar so patrons upstairs can see all the action going on downstairs.

Check out both Planet Groove and Blues Bar if you get the chance. You won't be disappointed! Be sure to click on each image to see a larger version.

How Honest Are You - Part II

On November 30, 2008, I wrote a post asking, "How Honest Are You?" Well today, I got a chance to see how honest I was.

I had lunch today with my brother at KFC. Yes, we like that greasy, messy chicken every now and then. Definitely not something you want to eat too often though... but it's ok every now and then.

Anyway, as I went up to pay, I gave the cashier $10.00 from which he was supposed to give me $4.00 plus some change. Well as he counted out the single $1.00 bills, I thought I noticed that one of the bills was a $10.00 bill. He handed me the money and I took a closer look. Sure enough, besides the coins, I was given four bills... 3 singles and 1 ten. Hmm... I was right.

So I immediately pointed out to the cashier than instead of four dollars, I had gotten thirteen dollars instead. While he seemed totally confused, I just told him that instead of four $1.00 bills, I got three $1.00 bills and one $10.00 bill. It didn't matter. He didn't get it. Another worker came over and tried to explain it to him in Spanish, but I still don't think he understood. Whatever... I just told him to give me a $1.00 bill and I'd return to him the $10.00 bill. He did that. Still, I don't think he quite understood why.

What would you have done?

I had two chances to keep that $10.00 bill. The first time would have been to pocket the money and say nothing. The second time would have been to give up trying to explain to the cashier that he had made a mistake and then just pocket the money. I did neither because it would have been wrong to do either.

Some people might say, "Boy, are you stupid! If you kept the money, you would have made $3.00 plus some change and had gotten a free lunch out of it too!" But others might see what I did as the right thing to do. How honest are you?

Flashed by the Paparazzi

Sunday's bride was wiping her dress since something got spilled on it. But as I saw her doing that, I noticed a woman in front of her trying to take a photo of her... so I raised my camera to try to capture the woman taking the photo.

Little did I know that I would be clicking the shutter release at the exact same time that her flash would go off on her point and shoot camera!

The result is spectacular! Nice "star" pattern from her flash and the backlight helped rim-light the bride and the person helping her. Cool! Then a moment later, another woman decided she wanted a shot as well. While not as spectacular as the first image, the creative way she is holding the camera makes it interesting.

Sand Ceremony

Often, in place of a Unity Candle, a "Unity Sand Ceremony" is done at weddings. It symbolizes a blending of the family and often children are invited to participate as well since they are part of this union too.

I was lucky yesterday in that the minister allowed me FULL ACCESS to the ceremony as we had discussed this beforehand. He realized how dark it was at the Naper Settlement Chapel and allowed me to go anywhere I wanted and to use a flash as needed. Great! That solved a huge problem of lighting in that church as it is one of the darkest churches I've ever had to photograph in before. I've been to the Naper Settlement Church in the past, so I knew what to expect and was ready to shoot the entire ceremony with just the ambient light there. But I'm so happy when the minister allows me to do whatever was needed. That's called working together!

Besides, the minister said we had worked together in the past since he recognized me! I've shot a LOT of weddings in the past and I just can't remember all the ministers I've worked with... but it sure is nice to be recognized by them!

Pre-Ceremony Photos

Often before photographing the wedding, I'm with the bride taking photos of her getting ready. Whenever I tell potential clients that, I can just imagine what they are thinking... "OK, so when I'm getting dressed, this guy is in the room with me???"

Well, yes... and no. I'm there when you are getting things put together, but I'm not in there when you are dressing! Often the best photos of the day are taken before the wedding. Close up details of your dress, shoes, hair, etc. are often shot at that time.

But sometimes, there's a shot just waiting to be taken, and that was what we had yesterday. Roxann was already dressed and ready for me when I got to her room at the Herrington Inn in Geneva. There right in front of us was this huge bed with drapes all around it (not quite a full canopy)... so I asked her, "Is this the room that you are staying in after the wedding?" She replied, "Yes." So how could I resist not taking these shots? "Can you pose for me on the bed?" I asked. And this is what she did for me. She was a good sport about it too! Great shot, don't you think?

Mariachi Monterrey

Yes! A Mariachi band! I wrote about how much I loved Mariachi bands back on Dec 18, 2005 (see the archives) and I was happy to see one at yesterday's wedding.

When my clients Roxann and Horatio came to see me last year to book their wedding for Jan 4, 2009, the first thing I asked them was, "Is there going to be a Mariachi band?" Roxann says, "Most likely."

I told them the story of how I started out in my wedding photography career shooting weddings in San Diego. It seemed no matter what kind of wedding I had in San Diego, I had a good chance of seeing a Mariachi band at the wedding. It didn't matter if the wedding was not a Mexican wedding... hey, it's San Diego for crying out loud!

So I'd become accustomed to seeing the guys at the reception. Then I moved back to the Chicago area and poof! No more Mariachi bands! I missed them.

These guys were just as good as any other Mariachi band I'd encountered in the past. There were 8 guys (one is hidden behind the violinist) and wow were they loud! What I'm most amazed at is that the singers can really "belt out" the lyrics! They don't need mics... they just sing as loud as they can and believe me... it is LOUD!

After they were finished (they played for 2 solid hours), one of the guys came up to me to ask if I could send them some photos! I was happy to do that and asked that he send me an email with their address. When I got home from the wedding, I was surprised to see the email so quickly!

If you need a Mariachi band, contact Mariachi Monterrey at 773-370-4656 and ask for Rene. "Se Habla Espanol"... of course!

Taylor T5

Photo courtesy of Craig Bonett

The "Liberty Tree" T5

Photo courtesy of Raul Blacksten

Doyle Dykes playing a "Koa" T5

A couple of years ago, Taylor guitars introduced the T5 "hybrid" guitar. At first, I didn't know what to make of it... was it an electric guitar, or a thin-bodied acoustic? The guitar had the ability to create a variety of tones ranging from a Telecaster twang to an amplified acoustic guitar. That's quite a feat!

I had considered getting just one guitar to bring with me as I played at church that could handle both acoustic tones and also electric tones. But based on what our congregation liked in worship music, I decided to buy as good of an acoustic guitar as possible. Ultimately, I ended up with a Taylor GS with Maple sides and a Sitka Spruce top. But while the T5 did not end up as my choice for guitars, I have to say, those who have chosen it do seem to get a lot of "mileage" from it.

Doyle Dykes plays one on his recent CD entitled "Bridging The Gap." While he chose to use the guitar for it's electric sounds, I've heard him play the T5 in "acoustic" mode as well. The T5 does an amazing job of simulating the sound of an acoustic, which allows guitarists to easily switch from one sound to the other without switching guitars!

Check out a T5 if you want to get a guitar with lots of versatility. To read more about the amazing Taylor T5, click here. To see the full range of Taylor electric guitars, click here.

Another Minolta Meter

Image taken in manual mode at 1/60 sec, f 2.8, ISO 3200

Back on October 27, 2008, I wrote about one of the only original items of photography equipment that I still use for my wedding work today... a Minolta Autometer IIIf light meter. It was having some problems recently but if I bumped it around, it would work.

Well, it appeared that I could not trust it any longer as the problem seemed to happen more often. So I decided I needed to finally replace it. I was lucky enough to find a fellow wedding photographer who was selling her used Minolta Autometer Vf meter because she rarely used it and so I snatched it up! Minolta is no longer in business, but these meters have been very accurate and have served well for years.

The new meter arrived today, just in time for my next wedding on January 4. After allowing it to warm up from being out in the cold from shipment, I gave it a quick test... works fine! I decided to pull out my old Minolta meter to see how close my old 1990 meter was to the new one. The accuracy was within 0.1 f stops of the new one! Amazing!

Now if the old meter wasn't having intermittent problems, I'd still rely on it. But it's now time to retire it. But I'm happy to report that yet another Minolta meter will take it's place. I wonder if this one will last 18 years as well?

New Year's Resolution

Do you make New Year's Resolutions?

Because we often put together unrealistic expectations, most resolutions are destined to fail. One of the most common personal resolutions has got to be "Lose Weight." While it might be something that can be done initally, most people fail after some time and go back to their old habits.

What are my resolutions? Well, every year, I promise myself that I'll lose weight. Like everyone who resolves to do this, I never keep this promise. So this year, I'll just give it the "old college try" and see where it goes. If it happens, great. If not, oh well.

What else would I like to resolve? Well, I don't think I want to resolve anything personally. But I will try to make certain things happen for my business in 2009 including:

Book more weddings by giving clients more options
Book more events to round out my wedding schedule
Concentrate on building my portrait and commercial photography business
Network more with my professional photography friends
Try not to spend so much money on new gear (that's really hard!)

What are you resolving to do for 2009?