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Even though I have a B.A. in Creative Writing, I still find myself occasionally pulling my hair out trying to figure out what to write in my blog posts.
There are days when I feel inspired; full of words. And then there are days that I walk in circles around my house just to avoid my computer, and the daunting task that awaits. In fact, I would love to post more often, but I simply run out of cool things to talk about (I mean, Putter is cute, but how many photos do you really want to see of him?)
So I had an idea (if Ben had a nickel for every time I started a conversation like this...he would have a LOT of nickels). Why not let you all choose some of our blog topics? Assuming that there are more people reading this thing than my loyal family members (Hi mom!), we'd like to offer the opportunity to ask us anything. The random, the weird, the intense, the ridiculous - any and all off-the-wall questions you've been dying to have us answer (because, of course, you've been chomping at the bit for this monumental possibility...;) ha!)
Though you are welcome to pose topics/questions that are photography-related, we are not limiting this unofficial forum to just that. We are open books. Personal or professional - let your questions and ideas fly! We promise to tell the whole truth, and nothin' but the truth. :)
I'll be doing an "off-the-wall" post once a week (or maybe every other week, depending on the response) after reading your thoughts. I will also include photos, and possibly video for each one to keep things spicy. :)
You can post a comment with your question/idea anywhere you'd like on the blog (I will get it :)), or you can e-mail us, Facebook us, or send us a Tweet. I'll be sure to include little reminders about OTW (yep, abbreviating it already) in our future posts.
We're looking forward to seeing what you guys come up with, and my brain thanks you for the assistance. :)
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off-the-wall : an introduction
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Putter says...
(He also says "I hate my life right now" but I feel like he's being dramatic.)
Brianna Phelan:
Putter is too freaking cute for words! This photo is awesome and p.s. LOVE your flooring.
(11.02.09)
Kristin:
bahahahahhaah Putter! this is cute!
(11.03.09)
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happy halloween!
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64
NYC truly lives up to it's catch phrase. I'm still trying to make up for the z's I missed while I was visiting there this past week. But I'm definitely not complaining - it was so worth the post-travel tiredness.
This was my first time in New York, and I came in with high expectations. Bright lights. Fast pace. Hustle. Bustle. Fashion. Entertainment. Glitz. Glamour. And shopping. Oh. Shopping.
I left feeling energized. Excited. And absolutely fulfilled.
The trip was everything I was expecting, plus some bursts of unexpectedness that made the experience that much more thrilling (for instance, who knew New Yorkers were so nice??)
I'm going to be dedicating an entire Fab/Drab post to my trip (highlighting details), but I couldn't wait to post a few photos. This city is a photographer's mother ship. I felt a reconnection with my passion that was invigorating and much needed.
So it rained. A lot. But that didn't deter the good times. :)
Times Square and Radio City Music Hall. Pretty sure these will be gracing the walls of my home.
...along with this one. I like it split into 3 frames like this. I'm thinking a canvas print. :) This shot was taken at the Top of the Rock. The view cannot be adequately described in words.
A little New York 'love.' <3
The Brooklyn Bridge.
And more Central Park. How much would you love for this to be your backyard view? Yes, please.
Check back for more New York fun! :)
Andy:
These are great photographs!
(09.16.09)
Lisa:
Ummmm.... we want more.... please?!??!
(09.16.09)
Bethney :
Ugh, can I just live there please? It's impossible to live in a place like Tavares after going to New York. My life feels way too ordinary.
(09.16.09)
Ben:
I wanna go!!!
(09.16.09)
Kristin:
OMG Amy Lee! These are so great!!!!!!!
(09.22.09)
Becka @Studio222 Photography:
Oh my. NYC is my favorite city in the United States. I'd move to the Village in a heartbeat if Nate would be down for it. But he isn't, so I'll have to settle for vacations. Isn't just lovely? The photos are gorgeous!
(09.22.09)
Amy:
@Becka & @Bethney - I feel the EXACT same way. Being there makes me want to reside there permanently!
(09.23.09)
Stefan Brummel:
Wow. I love the "A little New York 'love.'" shot!
(09.27.09)
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the city that never sleeps.
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63
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out of the office.
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59
Over the past couple of weeks the word change has been popping up fairly often in our blog posts. Today is the day we will elaborate on this frequent mention. :)
Let's backtrack a little.
For as long as I can remember, I have been drawn to creative expression. I thrive off of innovation and artistry, and I'm sure that I'd never be quite content in a cubicle from 9-5. It's simply not how my brain functions. I need variety. I need originality. I need hands-on tasks. I need inspiration, vision, and energy. I admire painters, writers, inventors, entrepreneurs, musicians, designers, stylists; people who allow creativity to soak into their career field.
Many years ago, before photography began rocking my world, I wanted something different in my life. Not to get all MLK on you, but I had a dream. My dream was to try my hand at cosmetology. My plan was to go to school for it, unleash my newfound talent in the world, and eventually become the proprietor of my very own salon. It was a lofty dream. I'm a lofty dreamer. :)
I went to college for none of the above. I gained a Bachelor's degree in English-Creative Writing (another passion...you'll soon discover - if you haven't already - that I'm a smorgasbord for professional choices :)). After deciding that I didn't want to teach, and my hopes of writing a novel were going to be filed in the back of my brain under "things I'll do when I have more time," I knew I'd need to hone in on a different skill for my career.
Enter Photography.
Ben and I submerged into the world of photo-taking as a hobby; a shared creative outlet (there's that phrase again ;)). It blossomed (rather, snowballed) into a profession. We feel immensely blessed to be able to work together, doing something we both absolutely love doing. We love people, and we love the art of photography. These two wonderful passions colliding has been an exciting, incredible journey.
But there is something missing for me.
You see, aside from photography, Ben is an amazingly talented musician. He has found his "niche" in life in the form of instrumental and vocal expression. His giftedness is God-sent, and he flourishes in this area of his life. He wakes up in the morning and is excited about his work. I have envied that excitement for as long as I've known him.
It's not that photography doesn't bring me joy and excitement; it absolutely does. But it's our joy, and our excitement. The business is a shared venture; without one of us, it would not be the same. I could never take it as my own, and I would never want to. That's not how it began, and that's not the direction we ever wanted it to go. It's always been a "team" endeavor, and taking Ben out of the equation would be eliminating a part of Starks Photography that makes our company unique. It's like a PB&J without the J. Too weird. :)
Recently, I have been having this unavoidable need for something of my own. I hope that I don't sound selfish. I am simply craving a personal means of expression; something I can learn, grow, stumble, and succeed in on my own. As I've explained to Ben, "I need a music. My own music."
Thankfully, God has given me the most encouraging, supportive, loving husband a girl could ever ask for. Ben is the fire under my butt - he pushed me to move forward, and reminded me that there's no time like the present. Without his motivation, I'm quite sure I'd still be swimming in a sea of self-doubt, battling myself with the question of "what if?"
There is a lot of risk in making a career decision - financial risk, commitment risk, personal risk, relationship risk. But I'm ready for it. I'm willing to make sacrifices and put myself out on a limb because I refuse to allow a possible life-altering experience to slip right through my fingertips.
I will be chasing down my former (but never really abandoned) dream of being a cosmetologist. I have applied (and been accepted) to the Aveda Institute in Orlando, and my adventure will begin in April 2010. I'm nervous, anxious, and most of all, thrilled. I'm anticipating the future and throwing myself into unfamiliar territory with a huge burst of energy. This will be the beginning of something that I've been yearning for, and I'm taking full advantage of this opportunity for change. :)
***
With this personal change, our photography business will be changing quite drastically as well. Due to my course schedule (which will be on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays), we will no longer be accepting weddings for dates after March 2010. This change is bittersweet for us; we love weddings, and we love being able to capture that beautiful day for our clients, but it's completely unrealistic to keep that aspect of our business on our plate. We're unsure if this change will be temporary or permanent, but for at least a year, this will be in effect. After I have finished at Aveda, we will reevaluate our business structure.
For those of you assuming we'll be hanging up our cameras for good - not so fast! ;) We still have an enormous love for photography, and our business will continue to move forward. However, (obviously) we have altered our services, and you will find details about the new plan below:
The following is what Starks Photography will offer as of March 31st, 2010 (*note: we offer these services currently - as well as wedding coverage - but this list is exclusively what will be offered after this date):
-Just Because Sessions
-Mini Just Because Sessions
-Maternity Sessions
-Family Sessions
-Engagement Sessions
-Spotlight Sessions
-Trash the Dress Sessions
We're taking this opportunity to provide more extensive details about these specific services. Check it out :) :
JUST BECAUSE - This session is appropriately named because it needs no absolute reason to take place. :) Senior photos, life portraits, modeling head shots, etc - they are all categorized under "Just Because."
The 411:
-1-2 photographers
-1-2 clients
-1-1.5 hours of coverage time
-Up to 3 wardrobe changes
-A disc of about 25-30 full quality, edited images (*with shared copyright privileges)
MINI JUST BECAUSE - a quicker (less expensive) version of the above mentioned. :)
The 411:
-1-2 photographers
-1-2 clients
-30-45 minutes of coverage time
-A disc of about 15-20 full quality, edited images (*with shared copyright privileges)
FAMILY - This session can be for babies, toddlers, teens, adults or a combination of ages. For example, it can be booked to solely highlight your two-year-old daughter, or for some shots of the whole family before your kids go off to college. :)
The 411:
-1-2 photographers
-1-6 clients
-1-1.5 hours of coverage time
-A disc of about 25-30 full quality, edited images (*with shared copyright privileges)
MATERNITY - Meant for moms (or parents)-to-be. We recommend waiting until you are at least 6-7 months pregnant before booking a maternity session.
The 411:
-1-2 photographers
-1-2 clients
-1-1.5 hours of coverage time
-Up to 3 wardrobe changes
-A disc of about 25-30 full quality, edited images (*with shared copyright privileges)
SPOTLIGHT (& TRASH THE DRESS) - A spotlight session is meant to "spotlight" your personalities as husband and wife. What do you like to do together? Go fishing? Cook? Sing karaoke? Whatever it is, we want to capture it. These creative sessions are much like Trash the Dress (in which a bride can be photographed solo, or with her groom, in a unique setting), but with a more personal spin. In both session types, be prepared to get that gown a little dirty. ;)
The 411:
-1-2 photographers
-1-2 clients
-1-1.5 hours of coverage time
-A disc of about 25-30 full quality, edited images (*with shared copyright privileges)
ENGAGEMENT - One of our favorite types to shoot is an engagement session. Couples who are unabashedly in love are super fun and inspiring. To these sessions, bring your confidence, laughter, and personalities - we want to showcase what you're all about. :)
The 411:
-1-2 photographers
-1-2 clients
-1-1.5 hours of coverage time
-Up to 3 wardrobe changes
-A disc of about 25-30 full quality, edited images (*with shared copyright privileges)
A few general, across the board changes:
-Location: While we have been open to traveling in the past (and we truly do love to travel), we are going to be more selective about our destinations for the next several months. This is simply due to schedule constraints. For any of the above sessions, we would like to stay within 30 minutes of Lake Wales, Florida (*for Mini Just Because sessions, within 15 minutes). If a client wishes for us to travel farther, a travel fee will apply.
-Dates: We are only going to offer any of the above sessions during the week. Our weekends are obviously limited due to my school schedule, so no sessions will take place Thursday through Saturday (*we will take a very limited number of Sunday sessions).
-Costs: Due to the change in our services, our prices have been slightly altered. We're streamlining our business in that we will no longer be offering a proofing option or print credit. We've found that most of the time, our clients simply want a disc of photos - no fluff. :) We do have a pricing sheet that details a list of costs for printing, should a client choose to have any of their images professionally printed. Please e-mail us for more investment details.
We are totally excited about our future - from a personal standpoint, and from a business one. We will be offering fun deals and promos in the near future to keep Starks Photography heading in a positive, forward-moving direction. :)
As for the blog, it will continue to showcase our awesome clients (we still have lots of events and shoots coming up! :)), details about our business, and our personal thoughts and experiences. I will be blogging on a more regular basis, and possibly holding Ben at gunpoint asking Ben nicely to contribute his insight as well. ;)
So if you actually made it through that novel of a post, God bless you. You are more interested (or possibly, bored) than I was expecting. ;)
Feel free to e-mail us with any thoughts or questions! We will also be updating our site very soon to reflect the changes - thanks for taking this journey with us!
-Amy & Ben
Ben:
Seize the carpe! (or however the saying goes) I'm super pumped for you!!!
(08.22.09)
Shirley :
ummm im not going to lie i got really excited to see my face. im also THRILLED for you with all the awesome newness.
(08.24.09)
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changes.
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What type of music or band influences your photography the most?
(11.03.09)Do you advertise in any printed publications or do you rely on web media and social networking? What techniques do you use to edit your photos? Why does Putter have a one-eyed smurf on his head? :)
(11.03.09)amy-your hair is always awesome!!!! how do you style it? can you give us a step-by-step post? thats pretty random-right? lol
(11.03.09)How do you save all of the pictures you take? Do you have an external hard drive? Discs? Do you save edited AND unedited photos? Do you print them for your personal use or keep them on the computer? I'm DROWNING in photos and because I am so undecided on what to do, they just sit on my external hard drive! And I have thousands of pictures!!!!!
(11.03.09)If you both were making mix tapes (ok it's almost 2010, so I should say iPod playlists) of your lives, what songs would be on them and why?
(11.04.09)Who or what inspires you creatively?
(11.04.09)Can you teach me everything you know?? ;) Thanks
(11.04.09)okay - i actually have a photography question... :) sometimes when i look at the photograhs you take, i am amazed at how creative the shot is. i am a focus and shoot kind of person...so i do think it is crazy cool the way some of the clients are posed or the "part" of a photograph you display...did you learn that or is it just innate?
(11.05.09)