I love that my birthday is in spring – it is just 6 months to Christmas! And because my birthday is so close to Mother’s Day we celebrate the birthday and Mother’s Day together. It is a chance to hang with family.

It’s also a good time to enjoy strawberry short cake! So happy birthday to me – again.

Mother's Day and dav.d's birthday - what better reasons to hang out with family to celebrate?

And who doesn’t like a celebration of one’s birth? It is a chance to celebrate the person. Similar to birthdays would be weddings – a wedding is a bride’s special day- but hopefully that is just a once in a lifetime occasion and not yearly like birthdays… See I can make this blog post somewhat wedding related!

We actually did photograph some of their engagements at the marina of Utah Lake.

This photograph was created yesterday. My dad has been collecting these small sailing boats and he absolutely loves to sail. Jonathan and Kelli Jo decided to go it alone with one of the boats. I just stayed on the shore and would photograph everyone on the lake having a lot of fun.

It got me thinking that the life style photo shoots are probably more fun and more memorable over time. Typically an engagement shoot will involve the bride, groom, photographer and a cool location. We spend an hour or two just getting some cool poses for the camera and things are good. However, a lifestyle shoot involves doing something. It could be sailing, mountain biking, baking cookies, a campout, or something that the couple enjoys doing together.

That is a recipe for awesome! And if you want to go sailing – we can talk to my dad about boat rentals.

Kelli Jo and Jonathan share a kiss while sailing on Utah Lake near Provo

I got my first roll of test film back from Richards Photo Lab. They have a loyal fan base of photographers and I wanted to see what all the hub bub was about. Up till now I have scanned my film myself and I have been learning how to color correct film on my own. I’m learning a ton.

It was nice to see the comparison between my scans and the development and scanning by Richards Photo Lab. I think more testing will be needed. I might shoot off a roll or two at a portrait session or a wedding. I’m always looking for volunteers of my experimentation.

This example is of my niece, Eve. She is obviously attacking the camera in this photograph. I am liking the color and the skin tons.

Although way too young to be a bride, Eve was a perfect test subject for Richards photo lab.

Richards should be sending back the negatives to me soon along with some 4×6″ prints. That will conclude the first round of my testing.

Just so you know, I don’t plan on being left behind – or becoming boring or bland. Everyday I am reading a new book or working on some new techniques in camera or on the computer. All of this learning will hopefully lead me to become a better photographer and a better artist overtime.

I have been experimenting with using Photoshop to add a bride and a groom from one photograph into a different background or location. This kind of thing is done in the commercial world of photography all the time. It isn’t done so much in wedding photograph. And I don’t see it replacing on location photography any time soon.

In these two photographs I added Carissa, a bride I photographed in January, to an orchard I photographed in April. Same with her new husband Joel. I really like the results.

Carissa is shown in an apple orchard full of blossoms - perfect Bridal photography!

The background photograph is the same for Carissa and for Joel. I think I will work on an orchard photograph of the couple together.

Joel goes high fashion in an apple orchard. This is the orchard in Provo, Utah.

And today Adobe announced that the new version of Photoshop will be available this Friday. I have been waiting for almost 2 weeks. I will be upgrading and putting some of the new features to good use. There are some very useful tools that will help make these kinds of edits a lot easier and hopefully faster. Time is money.

There are flowers, benches, walk ways, dirt trails, overhangs and more. If I ever get engaged I think will have to hit this place up.

I was scouting Red Butte Gardens with my film camera last week - the place is amazing

This photograph was created with my film camera. I was there as part of a group of photographers. We were all shooting film and having fun “avoiding digital.” Don’t get me wrong – I love digital photography. I think there is a lot of nostalgia for film. Although I can’t claim to be nostalgic (I have never been in a darkroom), I can see how it can simplify things.

The thing I like the most is the retro and imperfect look I end up with. When I scan the film myself the it isn’t as sharp as digital. And it has a look to it that looks like 1960s summer. I was using a film camera that works with my regular Canon lenses. It isn’t too difficult to switch back and forth.

Anyway, enough about film. I will probably go back to Red Butte again soon just to create some digital photographs. And I would highly recommend the location to brides and grooms who want some cool locations for their wedding photography. I will just tack the location fee onto my own fee. It’s totally worth it!

Currently I am running my photography business on 2 computers – and one of them is getting a little long in the tooth. It is about 3 years old I believe. There are times when I am sitting and waiting for Photoshop to finishing processing my photographs. So with this year’s tax refund I am planning on buying a new iMac. I think the brides will like that because I can process their photographs even faster.

These are the specs – if you don’t care about numbers just know this thing is fast. I could go out and buy it now. However, I am waiting. And waiting still. Apple should be releasing updates to the iMac in 2 months. I’ll confess – I hate waiting. Patience is a virtue – and I want to punch that philosopher in the face.

My dream iMac - but I am learning patience in waiting

In the meantime I am making due with what I have. If the computer is going rather slow I just have more time to clean the office maybe. Perhaps this is where the concept of multitasking comes from… people waiting for their computers to keep up with their creativity.

Other things I am waiting for? The next version of Photoshop, a new camera, and something items in my wishlist. Maybe Santa will be nice and bring something for my birthday next week.

Hooray for patience and self disciple.

In the meantime I will be dreaming of faster processors and 32gigs of RAM.

This wedding photograph was from my brother’s wedding in Snowflake, Arizona. I could have joined him – I am perpetually single. However, it is my job to take the photographs. And I think this is much more entertaining. A four year old catching a garter belt – you can’t make this stuff up. (I am sure you could make it up)

Henry was the only single guy at the wedding and he caught the garter belt

BTW, the garter belt was actually a hair tie we found at the dollar store. We realized that the bride and groom did not pick out a garter belt so I found a pack of hair ties at the store. It is probably a good thing we did NOT find a garter belt at the dollar store – that just sends the wrong message. Although a kid catching said garter belt – what kind of message does that send?!

I saw a photograph that someone posted of me and I look fat! I know need to lose weight – and I am making it to the gym. However, you see a bad photograph of yourself and you question a whole lot of things in life.

What did I do to console myself? I ordered tiramisu for lunch. Not the best strategy. Now I will need to spend more time at the gym – I have to look presentable in public. I also want to have my own photo shoot where I am the star. So I gotta keep making it to the gym and not letting bad pictures of myself let me down. And maybe, if need be, I’ll just eat a few bites of tiramisu.

Tiramisu makes great comfort food

BTW, I hope you are noticing the small evolution of the website. I am adding more photographs to encourage browsing of my wedding photography. I am still working on evolving my logo – I am not satisfied with it. I wonder if we are ever satisfied with a logo.

I’ll be working on the design again this weekend – and I will try to avoid the tiramisu. I have to be in amazing shape for my next wedding. Carrying cameras and lenses is a lot of work – and a lot more difficult when I am a Fatty McFatterstein.

The marble can be a bit reflective if lighting is being used – thank goodness for digital cameras and instant feedback.

I was also collecting background images for the possibility of using them in Photoshop. I am slowly collecting a library of background images that would be available as part of a photograph.

Much like Hollywood will create a fake reality – I have done this for portraits and even some brides. Check out a bride and groom I added to the Bonneville Salt Flats

The Utah State Capitol building is awesome for bridals and engagements

I have a few personal projects I am working on – one of them is to practice adding brides to different locations. When I find some free time I will be working on that this month. I have a few backgrounds now to choose from. Some of the locations include the capitol building, salt flats, an orchard and more.

This takes a lot more work in Photoshop but it is for those times when place and time can’t cooperate. If we want a spring photograph and it is snowing outside for example. And it creates something really unique.

However, I am totally game to photograph people in the actual State Capitol.

To be honest, contests like this mean little. There are great photographers who never win awards and there are photographers who aren’t that great – yet win contests. And I really don’t want to be judged as good or bad by popular vote.

dav.d photography was voted as Best Photographer by readers of QSalt Lake Magazine

My guess on why the voters did select me? I am out in the community constantly creating photographs. I have been the official photographer for Utah Pride for the past several year. I have photographed numerous fundraisers, political events, rallies, weddings and commitment ceremonies. I get a lot of exposure with the LGBT community. In my view it is a way to give back to the community.