Creativity and Flexibility = FUN

We have all had our fair share of photo shoots that didn't quite pan out like we had anticipated.  The best photographers I have known are the ones that not only were able to size up the situation quickly but maintain a flexible approach to getting the job done.  They are the ones that rather than screaming and pulling their hair out casually make a reference to needing a beer and then MacGyver  an entire lighting rig with chewing gum and a paper clip.  Wait?  Do we need to take a minute to bask in the glory that was MacGyver??  I think we do.  Here you go:  You know you thought his mullet was sexy- so click here. 

Ok, now that we all went running down memory lane and are plotting just how many paper clips it would take to rig a lighting system, the point of this post was to suggest a flexible approach to photography.

For example, I was shooting a Hockey-Meets-Boudoir session that was intended for a Christmas gift.  The secrecy that went into scheduling this shoot was second only to that of Air Force One.  While making covert plans to shoot so that the model's significant other would know nothing about our shenanigans, we forget to update Mother Nature on our itinerary.  Our outdoor shoot quickly turned into an evening scramble and we found ourselves making last minute adjustments that could have easily been embarrassing if we had not been able to find such humor in the situation.

The outdoor location(s) failed.  Yes, we tried more than one.  By that time, we did not have access to the studio either.  So,  we sent my assistant to Bed Bath and Beyond for a King size black sheet, more duct tape, and a six pack.  (For the record, I don't suggest automatically resulting to drinking during a photo shoot)

With supplies in hand, we literally went to my apartment and created a makeshift studio in my kitchen.  Here are a few pics of what it looked like:

(Yes, my cat really did decide this is where he needed to relax)

Ok, so once we got everything cleared out of this space and got the lights somewhat in place, the sheet arrived and it looked more like this:

Was it perfect?  Nope.  Was it anywhere near what we had anticipated?  Hell no.  Did we get some amazing shots and have an even more amazing story and experience from it?  Absolutely.

The ability to rig things like this is why I will forever love duct tape and Speedlights.  What was the gear used?  

Nikon D200

Nikon Speedlight SB-800

Nikon Speedlight SB-900

Both were fired remotely through Nikon's CLS system with the help of two hot shoe mounts.

The stands were all super cheap.  I picked them up when I bought my first "lighting kit" for probably no more than $150.00.  

I probably could have gotten away without the secondary stand with the reflector, but I wanted to kill as much of the "super flattering" over head florescent light as possible.  Since I was spatially limited in respect to light placement, I ended up doing a little more adjustments than usual so that I didn't get blown out images. 

I hope seeing some fun ways around lighting and location difficulties makes you want to grab your camera and rip apart your kitchen, too!!

Happy shooting and remember that inspiration is contagious.  Get out there and use that duct tape!!!

I have a website, isn't that enough?

Standard rules apply:  We have a concept, create a rough storyboard, and get a website!  Yahoo!!  I have a website.  See?  I type my domain name and look!!!  There it is!  My pictures, my products, and my rambling are all right there for the entire world to bask in it's ingenious glory!  We check our e-mail and cross our fingers that people will be so inspired that they will, of course, seek out our respective sites and clearly be so inspired by the chic template we have chosen they will thoroughly read all the content we threw together (which of course is written in papyrus or comic sans) and the orders/work will come streaming in hand over fist.

So we check our e-mail...

Still checking e-mail...

The frenzied e-mail checking slows...

So now what?  

While I have often thought about making my website just a splash page that says, "I'm good at what I do"  "trust me", I have a sneaking suspicion that a minimalist attempt at marketing would lead to a minimal return.  Since my long term goals include eventual world conquest, I have begun to slowly take a hard look at SEO.  

What is SEO?  If these three letters don't mean anything to you, stop reading right here and do a google search.  

If you are still reading this, I would like to share a few things I have found that have helped my Utah based photography company begin to get slightly more traffic to my website.

First and foremost, you need to be able to see the traffic to your website.  Seems pretty basic, huh?  Yea, it is.  I want to know how much traffic I get when I post something, and I want to see where the traffic comes from.  Google saves the day with Google Analytics.

"Google Analytics is the enterprise-class web analytics solution that gives you rich insights into your website traffic and marketing effectiveness. Powerful, flexible and easy-to-use features now let you see and analyze your traffic data in an entirely new way. With Google Analytics, you're more prepared to write better-targeted ads, strengthen your marketing initiatives and create higher converting websites."

This is a great place to start.  Check it out.  It's free and it's fairly straight forward to use.

Once you have your tracking in place, don't be afraid of Facebook and Twitter!  Free is our friend.  I'm sure you have a personal facebook page, right?  Well, get one for your company.  Facebook is doing an awful lot of work to promote business traffic.  Their "insights" include a complete demographic break down on who is looking at your website.  Guess what that means?  Yup, there's your target market.  If the people viewing your website is not your target market- you better re-evaluate your marketing strategy.

Ok, now streamline it!  You have a twitter account, a personal facebook page, a business facebook page, and roughly 6 e-mail accounts.  Make sure your website had "buttons" that link to your FB and Twitter accounts.  People will click them.  Also, make sure that your twitter/FB pages have your website on it.  You will be surprised how much traffic you will see from FB.

Also, you can set up your FB page so that any status updates you post will automatically post to twitter.  Perfect.  Two birds with one stone.  Then go even further and check out  Tweetdeck .  From here you can check FB and twitter at the same time.  Of course, you can get tweetdeck for your smart phone.  That's right, kids!  Social Media on the go!  Let's face it, less time spent in front of the computer can be a good thing too.  

Ok, the structure is in place.  (deep breathe)

Since this post is getting quite lengthy, here are a few links that will help you continue to make yourself and your company more visible.  

Start with  Simple SEO Strategies.

Once you have somewhat digested that site, take a look at This killer site.   Yes, this site is for photographers.  The content is great and guess what?  Google search what else you would like to find information on.

I don't pretend to present myself and some traffic-driving internet guru.  That is exactly why I wanted to share this stuff.  If I can do it, you can to.  There are so many ways to promote your business that just need a little bit of creativity to help shake things up a bit.  Get out there and be seen!  

Have other websites that you stumbled upon with more fun info about this stuff??? Share it in the comment section.   Have questions?  E-mail me :)

Happy world conquest!

Brittany and Brandon Urban-style

What did you do on Valentine's Day?  

Brittany and Brandon strutted their stuff, rocking their urban couples photo shoot like it was just another day in Milan.  The weather co-operated nicely and the light breeze gave Britt's hair just enough lift that you might think  we had man-made wind power going.  From almost falling off old, rusty fire escape stairs, to paparazzi style shooting over the hood of a car that housed a sleeping person- this shoot was one for the memory books!  

Congrats to Brittany and Brandon for braving the February weather and creating memories that are sure to put a smile on all of our faces for many years to come!  Here are a few photos from the shoot:

To see additional pics from this shoot, please visit my website :

http://www.synergyimpressions.com/Portraits/Brittany-and-Brandon/16009913_Z3wEk#1201119713_j6q6X

"Meet the Photog" Campaign- Tim Pluta

I know you've been waiting for more sneak-peeks to local Photographers!  Well, wait no longer!  Here is a quick look at one of Utah's newest Photographers.  Mind you, he's not new to photography, just new to this area- one look at his website and you'll realize the extent of his photographic journeys.  Keep an eye on this one for up and coming events, social movements, and gatherings for local shutterbugs.

Quick Info:

Name: Timothy Pluta

hometown: Paw Paw, Michigan

Current city:  Salt Lake City, Utah

website: www.lostlandscapes.smugmug.com

facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=781397960

What Tim had to say:


Gurgling inside of this SLC newcomer is a fiery cauldron of love and passion for the wilderness, and photography is my means of expressing the devastating beauty and sensual artistry that I see in it. I'm drawn in particular to her moody, dramatic side. As in, the side that one minute lovingly strokes your cheek and then the next minute is kicking you square in your teeth. To me, there's nothing in the world quite like the awe that arrives with the witnessing of the first light of the day spraying its glorious rays over the quiet earth, or the relentless intensity that comes with the greeting of a furiously approaching thunderstorm with open arms and lens. If I had a goal, I suppose it would be the potentially vain attempt to raise awareness in friends and family of the exalting grandeur and utter fragility of this achingly beautiful landscape around us. On a more realistic level, I at least hope to help us remember seasons long gone by. In the end though, I suppose I'm nothing more than a member of Nature's paparazzi. And the unrelenting sounds of the shutter on a quiet, frost-bitten mountain morning are my tiny round of applause. 


Sample work:

"Meet the Photog" Campaign- Maomi Blackburn

It's that time again!

Here is a sneak peak to an up-and-coming photographer.  Check her out, she's bound to help revolutionize the world of photography as we see it through our viewfinders.

Quick Info:

Name: Maomi Sunshine Blackburn

hometown: Salt Lake City

Current city:  Salt Lake City

website: In progress, but it will be awakenedstudios.com

facebook page:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Awakened-Studios/

What Maomi had to say:

I can believe things that are true and I can believe things that aren't true and I can believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny and Marilyn Monroe and the Beatles and Elvis and Mister Ed.  I believe that people are perfectable, that knowledge is infinite, and that the world is run by secret banking cartels and is visited by aliens on a regular basis.  I believe that the future suck and I believe that the future rocks. I believe that all politicians are unprincipled crooks and I still believe they are better than the alternative.  I believe that antibacterial soap is destroying our resistance to dirt.  I really believe that man's destiny lies in the stars. I believe that candy did really taste better when I was a kid, that it is aerodynamically impossible for a bumble bee to fly, that light is a wave particle, that there's a cat in a box somewhere that is both dead and alive (although if they never open the box to feed it will be two kinds of dead), and that there are stars older than the universe itself.  So, I try to capture those beliefs in my photography. 

Thank you.

Sample work:

Fun with 50mm lens and Foliage

With such fantastic light yesterday, I found myself wandering around my apartment staring at the sunlight plants and couldn't help but reach out to my camera bag.  Though normally my focus is wedding and portrait photography, recently I feel compelled to shoot 'aimless' wanderings as well.  Think of this as a "day in the life" post.  

As I reached into my 'bag o' goodies', it occurred to me that I haven't played with my 50mm lens recently.  As tragic as that may be, I happily pulled that lens out and once again was infinitely excited to see what fun and different shots my little buddy could pull off.  In fact, I may just make it a personal project to shoot exclusively with this lens for a few days... :)

Here are a few pics from that adventure.

The lens:

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm 1.8D

Special Thanks to Sante Dawg for her infinite modeling patience.

Biological and emotional inspiration credit goes to Foliage.  Please continue to support Local Utah Business and clean, green healthy interiors.

"Meet the Photog" Campaign- Chad Braithwaite

It's that time again!!  I'm thrilled to be presenting Chad for your viewing pleasure.  This guy is not only as genuine as he is talented, but his sense of humor brings an ease to the room that you would not expect from such a veritable rockstar.  The energy he has shows in all aspects of his photography- but what else would you expect from someone that titled his e-mail about this project, "big giant monkey terd baskets".  How could you not open that e-mail laughing??!

This guy's the real deal.  Maybe one day he will even get a "real job".... nah...  he's too damn talented for that.  Check him out, but beware, you're going to want to hire him.  

Quick Info:

Name: Chad Braithwaite Faces Photography
Age: 30
Hometown:  Layton, UT   
Current Location: Downtown SLC, UT
Website:  www.faces-photo.com
Blog:  on website
Facebook: yes

What Chad says:

All about ME - In my opinion it always is :)

My name is Chad I go by Chadley, Chadwick, hey you, and some four letter words replaced with symbols.

I think photography is “fantasmic” but then so is any word that ends is “asmic” always is.
I am always working.. I dream about working... And when im not working Im thinking about working.
I like to sing in the shower... And I bring the awesome.
I believe a hug and a bum squeeze could solve any problem in the world (Including Cancer)
I am rarely serious... Its so boring.
I laugh at little kid dirty jokes.
“Your Mom” and “That’s what she said” are still the funniest things you could ever say.
Everyday I dedicate a new Song of the Day (SOTD) depending on my mood as my theme music for the day. Thank goodness for an ipod so I can listen to it all day long.
My goal in life is to have just one photo that makes everybody pee laughing. (You know peeing is funny cuz you just laughed)

My name is Chad... And without ME its just aweso

Sample Work:

"Meet the Photog" Campaign- Lisa Bauman (c'est moi!!)

As I start getting responses from other photographers that are putting together a few sample photos and struggling to write their own personal bio, it was brought to my attention that I should in fact, write a highlight feature for myself.  {pauses to stare at the blinking cursor}

I suppose it would only be fair to subjugate myself to the same self-analytic scrutiny that I have asked other photographers to go through for the sake of this project sooooo... without further rambling, here goes kids.  Please keep your hands and arms inside the car at all times, and enjoy your ride here at Cedar Point- America's Roller Coast....  (shout out to my Ohio friends).

Quick Info:

Name: Lisa Bauman
Hometown: Fairview Park, Ohio
Current Location:  Salt Lake City, Utah
Website: Synergy Impressions Photography
Blog: Well, you're on it... but here is the link
Facebook: Befriend me here

What I have to say:


Inspiration is contagious.

A fleeting glimpse, a faint touch, a look that speaks volumes, a flickering kiss that stops time while seemingly accelerating it at the same time- these are my inspirations.  These are the moments that I am charged with capturing and breathing immortality into with a click of my shutter.  These are the reasons I am a photographer.

Shooting people enraptures me.  The hopeless romantic in me is drawn to the beauty of weddings and portraits during which I have the privilege to document a brief second in time that might otherwise pass by unnoticed.  I am eternally grateful to be part of such an event. It is that simple.

One of my goals, in addition to eventual world domination, is to extend my services to same-sex couples.  While the church and state grapple with the definitions of love, marriage, and the rhetorical battles within each, I see it quite simply.  Do you love each other?  While that question may be difficult enough for some, if the answer is yes, then I want to take your photo.  Let's throw off the chains of social restrictions and inundate each other with beautiful images.  This is what I want.  Well, that, and minions.  Who doesn't want minions?

Sample Work:

*End transmission.

 

"Meet the Photog" Campaign- Rebecca Borrelli

As this campaign gets started and gathers momentum, I would like to quickly take the opportunity to say 'Thank You' to everyone that has responded so far!  It seems only fitting that the first person to be featured here is an artist that has inspired me over the years, time and time again, by not only her unmatched artistic eye but by her humble nature and inspiring character.  Ladies and Gentlemen, I proudly present a friend, artist, and soul-sister: Rebecca Borrelli.

Quick Info:

Name: Rebecca Borrelli
Hometown: North Olmstead, Ohio
Current Location:  Austin, Texas
Blog: This Brazen Teacher
Facebook: Befriend her here

What Becca had to say:


I’m a “photographer?”


I think I qualify as an artist in other mediums first- but the photo fairy blesses me with a good
photograph now and again. The real photographer in the family is the baby sis, which is evident
when comparing our work.


Self-abdication aside, I like taking pictures. There’s something magical about being able to capture
and isolate a piece of life… being able to reflect on moments lost in a pace of life that waits for no
one.


Drawing from photos is the real forte for me. At the risk of perpetuating a pompous, self-
proclaimed artist cliché… it’s profoundly moving to go about the work of scrutinizing life. Stare
into someone’s eyes, as you recreate that eye in pencil, you learn it’s completely possible to
connect with a stranger through a piece of glossy Kodak paper.


I love that. It’s the simple things I guess.


Sample Work

**Quick note to mention- the campaign is a work in progress!!  Huge thanks to Rebecca for being the guinea pig on this project (as she has in many past projects)!!

"Meet the local Photogs" Campaign is underway!

In this hyper-active world of social media, we sometimes forget how many 'friends on facebook' are talented artists, photographers, musicians, and plain out amazing people.  The idea behind this "Meet the Local Photogs" Campaign is to highlight other local photographers.  The goal is to highlight beautiful, innovative work by friends, associates, and other talented folks we have met along the way.  By doing so, we will continue to build synergistic relationships with each other in a field that often becomes a solo journey.  

Help this blog be a resource for inspiration, talent, and an opportunity for us photogs to have an even larger net of support!   Feel free to cross post or suggest other talented people that you would like some insight on.

I look forward to posting the featured artist highlights and hope you also enjoy learning more about each other.

Cheers and Happy Shooting!!

Lisa