Great News!
I have been invited [and accepted, of course] to join the Artistic Wedding Photographer Society!
The Artistic Wedding Photographer Society is an association of wedding photographers who produce consistently amazing artistic wedding day photography as recognized by their peers. Only wedding photographers who meet the high standards of this organization are members. Membership is by invitation only.
The organization is young but already includes some of the most brilliant image makers working today. What an honor to be included with these folks! Definitely head over to the site and check out some of the incredible work on there.
It's funny, talking about style. So many people out there are all about "define your style, define your style, define your style." Talk of finding your client base, finding your niche market, finding your blah blah blah. In my mind the best styles out there are the ones that can't be defined. You can call what I do photojournalism. But it's too heightened to be just that. You can call what I do fashiony. But it's a little rougher than that. You can call it this or you can call it that but what is it? Some adjectives come to mind: cinematic, emotive, honest, gritty, touching, artistic... but the theme is constant. Love. And don't we all know that love transcends style? Allow your imagery to capture that - whatever form it takes.
So I guess what I'm really saying is... be bold. Don't get stuck in your "style." Let your imagery transcend labels. That's where the fun is.
And that is what will set you apart.
seek the joy.
:e:
eric laurits | Cinematimotivehonestittyfashionjournaistic Love Photographer
I just finished reading [for about the 800th time] Workers by Sebastiao Salgado.
Simple, stunning, and impeccable storytelling.
I was turned onto Salgado many years ago when I stumbled onto Migrations in the library one day. [I love the library] Salgado's work infuses brilliant journalism with an artistic touch echoing the likes of Bresson. I highly recommend you check it out and lean a little more about this master.
He's on my top 5 list... here's why:
seek the joy
:e:
eric laurits | Wedding Photojournalist
Ladies, Gentlemen, and Photographers.
Listen up. It’s game
time. Are you going to Photo Plus? Of course you are. Everyone is. So my question for you is this… do you wanna sac up with me?
Introducing and announcing Sac up with Shyla and :e:
Here’s how it works. Shyla, :e:,
and shootsac have teamed up to bring you the
latest in awesome experiences. On
Friday, October 19th, come by the Shootsac booth [#2042]. Shyla and eric are going to be there
strutting their stuff and modeling the new hotness that is the Shootsac. As if that isn’t enough…
For every Shootsac that is sold we are donating $5 to the Give the Gift of Sight Foundation
– a cause near and dear to photographers’ hearts. At the end of the day, the total amount is
being matched by :e:, doubling the donation amount. The Give the Gift of Sight Foundation is an
incredible organization, and I would definitely encourage you to check them out
at their link above.
On top of all this, you get to see Shyla in person [if you
ask her nicely, she may even sign your receipt or something.] Makeouts are an
extra $20 [$5 for eric, he’s cheap]
So come by the Shootsac booth on Friday and say hi, pick up
a Shootsac, and help people who cannot see clearly see the world as beautifully
as you do.
C’mon
This is a very special post. A week ago I had the extreme joy of heading out to Denver and spending the day with four amazing ladies. Here's the story...
As part of my :e:nrich program, I shoot free alternative bridal sessions for brides who choose to donate their dresses to the Brides Against Breast Cancer Foundation. Brides Against Breast Cancer is a pretty unbelievable organization. It would take pages to detail all the wonderful things that they do, but one aspect is selling donated gowns and giving the profits to different breast cancer organizations. Click the link above to learn more about what they do.
Let it be known... none of these ladies were my brides. This program and offer is open to anyone and everyone [though... I personally think you should harass your wedding photographer to initiate a program like this... details later in the post] So these four friends [Jenn, Jenny, Angela, and Darcy] all bonded together for a fall day at 5280 feet and now have some pretty beautiful images of themselves in their dresses before they ship them away.
Before I get to the images... are you a photographer? Are you interested in getting on board? Drop me a line. I'm shooting to put out a book once every two years with these portraits all proceeds going to the Komen Foundation. The :e:nrich program is growing. Jump on the Joy train!
Are you ready to donate your dress for a worthy cause? [it's just collecting dust anyways... and trust me. Your daughter will NOT want to wear it.] Get some friends together and drop me a line. We'll set it up!
now, on with the images....
A very bearded and passionate photographer and Jen [a bride against breast cancer]
well the beard has since been shaved and the awesome pink leg warmers have since been removed, but the passion remains. Join the fight with me. You have a gift. Use it for the good.
Be Joyful. Seek the joy of being alive.
:e:
eric laurits | Photographer to all Brides Against Breast Cancer
I was lying awake last night thinking... what can I contribute to the photography world that isn't already out there? With all the various products out there, the programs, the neoprene lens bags, the slideshow software, the glass... what I have to contribute isn't a product.
I thought I would start a series called The Well Tempered Photographer offering various tips and insights to maintain balance in your life. We're not talking grand life changes here, just little tweaks to help you keep yourself in a position to be effectively capturing others lives.
Today's entry will be dealing with the body. My parents are both physical therapists so taking care of myself has been ground into me since a young age. Now, I don't know about any of you all out there, but I work my butt off when shooting [example, the first wedding I shot I sweated through 3.5 shirts.. I actually went outside and wrung them out!] When the shoots are over, however, I plop down in front of the computer and start the edit and all that. I actually love editing and album design and all that - but it takes time. So now you're sitting in front of a computer for hours on end leading a somewhat sedentary life... how how can you keep yourself as stress free as possible? Here's some tips ::
1] The Ten Minute Rule - I work for 50min straight and then take ten minutes to get up, walk around, go get a drink of water... the brain works best in shorter intense work sessions, than longer ones.
2] Desk Stretching - each hour make sure you stretch a little bit. I'm not talking about inverted-side-crazy-scissor-frothing-crow-asana here. Just simple stuff. Here's a link to some simple desk stretches you can do in about 3 minutes [it's a printout!]
3] Seating Arrangement - what are you sitting on? Make the investment in an ergonomic desk chair... or better yet, a fitBALL. I sit on a 62" fitBALL when I'm working. It helps me keep my posture up and prevents me from slouching... I'd fall over! This may take some getting used to, but I find it wonderfully rewarding for strengthening your inner abdominal stabilizers. I've gotten to the point where I can sit cross legged on top of the ball for almost the whole 50min! Here's a link. And now that you have your fitBALL why not try out some of these exercises?
4] Monitor Placement - A lot of us out there work with dual monitors, so this can get a little bit tricky. Here are some general guidelines ::
5] Hands and Repetitive Stress Syndrome - using a mouse will be the death of you! Keeping your hand in that one position will encourage RSI [repetitive stress injuries] and isn't truly unlocking your potential as a photographer anyways. I use a combination of a Wacom Intuos Tablet, Kensington Trackball, X-Keys Professional, and traditional keyboard.
6] Organization - ahhh that dreaded word. Nothing too revolutionary here, just keep your desktop [physical, not virtual] free from clutter and well organized so that you have to do the least strain to get access to things you frequently use [ie. phone, cf readers, sticky notes...]
7] Light - I'm obsessed with light. Well, we have to be, right? Anyways, I found this great light source that I use to give a little extra boost to my work area but not cause any glare on the screen. Actually, my mom found it and I saw her using it one day and was totally taken with it. It's designed for sewing but works great for us, too! It's called the Ott-Lite. I use the Task Lamp and it's wonderful - daylight balanced, soft, and sits right on my desktop without clutter. The light is very directional so I can control spill so nothing ends up on the screen. Check it!
8] Lastly - if you are uncomfortable or something is causing you pain... do something about it! You are in charge of your own space, so tailor it to your body and your productivity will be well rewarded.
Well, that's it for now. Tune back in next week for the next issue of The Well Tempered Photographer!
If you have any helpful tips to provide or want something specific covered, e-mail me at eric@ericlaurits.com and I'll get to work on it!
seek the joy,
:e:
