Brian Downer Photography - Fine Art Portraiture | Mesa, AZ

Megan

2011-05-14T19:51:00.006-07:00

I haven't photographed this little cutie since she was a newborn, nearly two years ago. Her birthday is a couple weeks away, and her mom wanted some high-key shots like I had done for her older sister.

I only shot 11 frames in about 10 minutes. That is all it took, and she gave me every emotion in those 10 minutes from happy, sad, serious, to downright miserable. Anyway, I loved shooting her, and I'm sure her mom will love the images.

This is what you get when a 23 month old doesn't find you to be very funny. I love this one, and even if she isn't laughing, I sure am.

Hailey Elizabeth

2011-04-16T20:35:00.005-07:00

This little darling is only 5 days old. She was just an absolute joy to shoot, and was probably the easiest newborn I've ever had. There wasn't a single whimper, or cry. She let me put her into any position I wanted (except for her legs which are so long that they wouldn't stay "tucked"). I didn't get "peed" on, which is always a great thing! Plus, she is just a cutie! How could you not love her. Best of all, I got to take her home after the shoot was over. That little angel is MINE!

Her three older siblings are as thrilled as her mother and I. My eldest daughter, who is only 4, has been a great help. She loves to fetch diapers and wipes, and best of all, she likes to dispose of them for us! I don't think life could be any better.

Rainy Daze

2011-02-21T14:50:00.007-07:00

The weather this past weekend has been very non-typical for Arizona. We had very high winds, lots and lots of rain, and even got some snow in the mountains just behind the studio. Basically, it was very cold and dreary. Of course, I had an outdoor, springtime themed shoot scheduled, and sadly that had to be postponed.

With some free time on my hands, I though I'd try something that I've always thought was pretty cool: photographing smoke. I headed off to the store, bought some incense, and a neat container to burn it in, and made my way back to the studio. A simple black backdrop, a strobe with gels and a grid was all I needed. For a first timer, I'm pretty thrilled with the results. The smoke gives off a very feminine feel, or at least it does to me. Of course, that could just be the "buzz" from spending a couple hours in a room full of burning incense.

I did some special editing on these two, and the shapes they created are pretty amazing.

Year End Fine Art Session

2010-12-28T16:40:00.007-07:00

Wow. What a way to end the year, but a with a fine art session with such a lovely subject. She was so graceful, so elegant, and made my job very easy. I loved these images so much, I think I'll enter the first one in for the next print competition. Of course, she and her mom promised that I could photography her again using some fashion lighting, so I may have to wait until those images are done before I choose which ones to enter.

Family Session

2010-08-21T14:50:00.003-07:00

This little guy is one of my new best friends. He is a fistpounding firecracker, and just one of the smartest kids I've ever met. I'll grant you this: he is super cute too.

So, Scott (above) and his family came by the studio this week for a family session. Scott's, little brother is only 4 weeks old, and they needed new portraits. Newborn portraits.....family sessions...I'm in heaven.

Fall Special - Charity

2010-08-11T19:24:00.006-07:00

It's been a while since I ran my last special (not to mention since I last blogged...sorry). Due to the popularity of the last specials, I figured it was time to dust off the 'ol keyboard and post one up.

This special is going to be a bit of a twist to one we've done previously:

Any session completed before October 31, 2010 will have a reduced session fee of $99. I'll also donate 25% of your session fee to the charity of your choice. This is not only a great bargin, but also lets you help out others at no cost!

Of course, I know it isn't fall yet, but I'm so anxious to end this Arizona summer, I thought i'd start a bit early.

Studio on hiatus

2010-05-17T12:57:00.003-07:00

New and exciting things are happening! We are in the process of adding more space to the studio, to include updated office and production areas. To facilitate the work that needs to be done, we are not accepting any new sessions until June 12, 2010.

Thanks to all our great customers for making this possible!

Desert Shoot

2010-04-25T14:28:00.007-07:00

Here are some of the images from the family shoot taken out by the Superstition Mountains. The little boy, Michael, is such a little prankster, and as a photographer that is awesome! He has that just right amount of mischievousness and natural charm. I've got a wonderful laughing sequence with him, that is going to be fantastic in a collage. Ella, Michael's sister, is stunningly beautiful. She normally wears glasses, but I got lucky with this shot as she took her glasses off for a second and just fell into this pose.

Many thanks to Steve at SCP Photography for standing in dangerous places to hold scrims/reflectors for this shoot!

More family shots to come later....

Spring Special

2010-03-03T14:46:00.002-07:00

From now, until the end of April, 2010 we are offering the following specials:

20% off sessions fees (session must take place before 4/30)
15% off any wall portrait (11x14 and larger)
20% off any canvas gallery wrap
2 free 8x10 images of any 16x20 wall portrait (great for gifts)

Call today to book your session! (480) 247-0885

Corporate/Business Headshot Special

2010-01-28T09:39:00.003-07:00

Until the end of February, we are running a discounted special for our Corporate/Business headshot program. This is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to update their portrait image used for business cards, websites, and other promotional material.

Our in-studio special includes:

50% off our session fee
Up to 30 minutes for each session
Up to 5 digital images for your professional use
Professional retouching

We are also offering location specials for those clients who need us to perform this service at their location. These location specials are fantastic for our busy clients who need multiple images for corporate officers, board of directors, or staff. Please call for details and customized pricing for location shoots.

Rob

2010-01-05T19:20:00.002-07:00

Here is an image from a really great session this evening. This gentleman's name is Rob and he is starting out on a new career as a realtor. I was honored to be both referred by a previous client, and to be able to provide some very warm and professional images. Doesn't he just look like the kind of guy who can sell you a house? I think so.

Best of luck in your new career, Rob. I'm sure you are going to do very well.

Thomas family

2009-12-06T18:32:00.004-07:00

How can you not love a smile like that! I photographed this family today for a Christmas session. These three boys were just wonderful to shoot, and the little one had the most incredible smile. His either didn't smile, or he would giggle beyond belief. Each time he did that, I was awestruck. What a happy boy!

Only one for now. I'm going to end up editing for days, but I'll share more of the session later.

Family Session

2009-11-26T10:58:00.007-07:00

This is the 3rd year I've taken Christmas portraits for these kids (last year was an all black and White session). It's amazing how over the years I can look at the images and track how they went from just cute kids to be stunningly gorgeous young adults. I guess they have some good genes in this family.

Trackday

2009-11-14T20:41:00.005-07:00

A group of fellow photographers decided to get together today to work on motorsport photography. Firebird Raceway, a local track, was having a motorcycle trackday in preparation for a race event tomorrow. It seemed like a great opportunity for all of us.

It turns out that I already knew quite a few of the riders. I've taken several pictures for some in the group for various calendars, and for some other events. Overall, it turned out to be a great day, as I got to spend some time practicing some techniques I rarely get to use as well as hanging out with a great group of people. I enjoyed it so much, that I'll be going back tomorrow with my son to watch the races.

Moving!

2009-10-19T00:59:00.003-07:00

Well, sorta.

I've been searching for a larger home for my growing family for some time now. Unfortunately, it seemed that with our current economic conditions the only homes available are short-sale or foreclosures. There are some beautiful homes available, but the short-sales and foreclosures have driven the prices down so low that investors are fighting for them (ala the days of 2004-2006). The normal homebuyer is pushed out. On top of all that, it seems that any house for sale that isn't under financial hardship is not moving at all unless the asking price is ridiculously low.

So, as of last week, my wife and I decided to bide our time, and maybe pick up a second home and keep our current one. Well, yesterday we got lucky. Brandford homes opened a new development in Mesa/Gilbert area and their introductory prices were insane. We couldn't pass it up. So, now we just purchased an Estate lot, with a 5 bedroom, 4 bath house. The price is so good that we can still keep our current home until home prices return to some sort of sanity.

So, I'll be using our current home exclusively as a studio space after the new home is ready for move-in. This is going to be awesome!

Susan

2009-10-13T19:43:00.004-07:00

Susan was referred to me by Keith from last week. She recently graduated from Real Estate school, and needed images for her business cards and website. She brought her husband Rich along for moral support, and it was an absolute pleasure to meet both of them. Not only is Susan a realtor, but she and Rich also own Anzio Landing, a really nice restaurant out at Falcon Field in Mesa.

Any guesses on how long it took me to get the shot above? About 2 minutes. Not really difficult when you have such a beautiful subject to work with.

Best of luck with the new career, Susan!

KC

2009-10-10T18:36:00.005-07:00

I'm always happy to shoot motorcycles, so I was really glad when KC contacted me a few weeks ago for some images of his motorcycle. We had hoped to complete the shoot a few weeks ago, but the temperature out here had been so high that it was best to wait until we could spend a couple hours outside without bursting into flames.

KC has a really awesome bike. It is a Triumph 675, which you don't see very often. The lines on this bike are just gorgeous, and it looks just plain sexy. KC is no slouch himself, so I threw him in the shot a few times to add some balance and effect. I'm really liking how these images turned out.

Keith

2009-10-05T20:13:00.003-07:00

Keith is a realtor who needed some promotional shots for his website and business cards. Luckily enough for me, he found my website and chose me to shoot his portrait.

Corporate headshots can seem like assembly like work, if done too often. There isn't a huge amount of variety for posing/props when they are done in studio, as the requirement of maintaining a professional image is paramount. Thankfully, I don't do many of them, as a fine art photographer, but when I do it is always nice to shoot such a friendly and congenial person as Keith. Working with Keith was a real pleasure, and I hope he finds these images useful.

Anyone looking for a realtor may want to give keith a call. You can drop him a line at keith.george@azmoves.com

Thanks for your patience

2009-09-18T22:35:00.004-07:00

Dear friends,

As some of you may know, I haven't really been around for the last month or so. For the last several weeks, I haven't taken any clients, or bothered to update the blog. This time, there is good reason.

At the end of August, my father became extremely ill. Although he is 89 years old, he has been extremely active and incredible shape for his age. He and my mother live independently, and he is able to care for his house and property, and also stay active in the community. That came to an abrupt halt recently, when my father became ill.

It was literally overnight when he went from being very active, to being unable to hold a spoon. He could not dress himself, walk, stand, speak without slurring his words, or do any basic task without help. As a family we were very concerned, and feared that he had suffered a stroke. A trip to the urgent care clinic made things worse when they said his condition was beyond their diagnosis and referred us to the local ER. It was there that my father was treated horribly. It was if they diagnosed his problem as just "really old age", and that it was "just his time". They suggested we take him home, and if he recovers, it would be on his own.

Well, as a family, we weren't going to take that. We involved his primary care physician, who suggested a CAT scan. While waiting for the results of the scan, dad's health continued to decline. It was at this point, my sisters showed me just how strong they really are. One of my older sisters, Ann, browbeat my dad's insurance company and got them to state that dad needed to be admitted to the hospital. Only after that did we see some action.

So, after 4 days of suffering, my dad was finally admitted to the hospital for reduced kidney function and dehydration. It was there he underwent a battery of tests. He had multiple blood draws, X-Rays, more CAT scans, ultrasounds of the carotid artery, EKG tests, and MRI. Everything came back negative. Neurologists were called in, but they couldn't diagnose a problem. Their best guess is that he had an allergic reaction to some medication. He had developed some sores on his back and legs that seemed consistent with that diagnosis, but not all of his symptoms could be explained that way. Dad was in great pain, and the hospital put him on morphine.

As a family, we were worried. We called in family from out of state, and set up around-the-clock vigils in dad's hospital room. After two days in the hospital, my dad was pretty much unconscious the entire time. He couldn't keep his eyes open for more than just a few seconds, and really couldn't talk. The family feared he was slipping into a coma. It was devastating.

As the family was coming to grips that this may be the end, something miraculous happened. The following day, Dad was able to keep awake for up to an hour at a time. He could even talk a bit, but his voice was so strained it was hard to make out the words.

Each day after that, Dad got progressively better. He went from being catheterized to using a bedside urinal. Slowly his strength was returning. He began to sleep well, eat with some help, and move his limbs. Small progress in the big picture, but as a family we were thrilled. The hospital then told us Dad would be discharged to a nursing home, to see if he could recover and eventually go home.

3 days later, dad had a huge setback. In the middle of the night he was rushed to the cardiac ward. His blood pressure was spiking, and his heartbeat was erratic. That lasted for a few more days, while the doctors tried to find a solution. Once again, it miraculously cleared itself up.

Last week, we moved Dad to a nursing home. He began physical and mental therapy. His vision, and hearing, is reduced, and he is not as strong as before. His speech was still slurred, and he couldn't do basic math like counting pocket change. My father, the WWII veteran, father of 14, and a farmer for his adult life, was frustrated. Thankfully, he is a fighter. He continues to push through to recovery.

My mother and I are with him daily. I bring the kids with me when I can, and my sibling show up when they are available. Dad's determination and strength of will is inspiring. After one week in the nursing home, he is almost 100% recovered. His doctors have just told us that he can go home on the 21st.

This whole ordeal has been a massive strain. I've had clients waiting on proofs, and others I couldn't schedule sessions while this was ongoing. I'm so grateful that everyone has been so understanding. It helps far more than I can express to know that I don't have the demands of work while dealing with a stressful family situation.

I thank you all for your patience, and the good will. I'm hoping to restart sessions in October. Don't be surprised if one of my first clients is my father. For some reason, I'm thinking I just don't have enough pictures of him and my mom. :)

Kyle

2009-08-27T06:29:00.005-07:00

I was fortunate to be able to get Kyle into the studio this week. He had come to me with a request for a portrait to use in his application for Army Officer Candidate School. I was more than happy to oblige. Of course, I also needed to get some other shots of him as well so that he could give to his family.

Kyle is a good kid, and I'm sure he will do well. I'm very proud, and happy, to see young men like this willing to step up and serve their country. The Army is not a commitment to take lightly, especially during a time of conflict. If selected, Kyle is very likely to spend some time in a combat zone.

God Bless Kyle.

Another good cause

2009-08-26T19:15:00.012-07:00

A friend of mine, who is a fellow photographer, recently lost his brother-in-law (http://blog.sur-realphotography.com/2009/08/making-a-difference/). To help cover costs for the family, he has asked for my help, which I'm all too willing to give.

So, he has organized a raffle as part of the Haban benefit, with each ticket only costing $10. I'm donating to the raffle a free in studio session for an individual, or single family. I'm also throwing in a free 16x20 print and a 20% discount on any other images taken during this session. The session and 16x20 print alone is worth over $400, so getting all that for $10 isn't too bad. :)

Tod donate, just click the link below (in the note's section please identify that this is for the Haban raffle, and you wish to purchase a ticket for the prize donated by "Brian Downer Photography"):

Time to give back

2009-07-08T19:25:00.007-07:00

I've always felt like I'm a lucky guy. I have an incredible wife, 3 fantastic kids, and a dream job. During these tough economic times, where many people are struggling, I'm in the enviable position of watching my business grow. No doubt about it, I'm blessed.

So, I feel compelled to do something for others.

Here is what I am offering:

3 hour, in-studio, photo session for an individual or single family at 1/2 off my normal reservation fee. ($200 value)
Free 16x20 mounted print ($140 value)
35% discount on any A' La' Carte print items
35% discount on custom framing

Basically, I'll give my customers a 50% discount off an in studio session, plus a free 16x20 mounted print, as well as other discounts. 100% of all proceeds from these sessions will be donated to NILMDTS. 20% of any "non-fundraising" sessions during the month of July will be donated to NILMDTS as well. To qualify, all you need to do is mention the July Charity drive.

For information on NILMDTS, please go here (please note that this website contains images of terminally ill children):

http://www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org/

Back to work

2009-06-29T06:44:00.002-07:00

It's been a really great three week vacation, but the time has come to get back to work. I'm really looking forward to it, as it feels like forever since I took some pictures of someone other than Megan. :)

We have received a ton of well wishes, and we appreaciate each and every one of them. Megan and mommy are doing fantastic. The baby is gaining weight fast, and growing like crazy. Mom has been letting me spend some great quality time with all the kids while she goes off to rest. Nothing like daddy-son and daddy-daughter time to make you put the world back into perspective.

Birth Announcement complete

2009-06-17T15:19:00.007-07:00

Earlier this week I decide to put together Megan's birth announcement to be sent out to friends and family. I do this type of stuff quite often for clients, but it seems that when it comes to my own family I run out of time to get stuff done. Thankfully, I've taken off much of the month of June to stay home with the family and to help Mom get some rest. Somewhere in there, I found a couple free hours to sneek off and design this card.

For this announcement, I decide to use one of the earlier images. I'm still working on some fine art pieces, but you really can't predict a newborn's behavior. As of right now, Megan hasn't been interested in "posing" for some of my more artistic shots. I'm not giving up, but I really need to get it done ASAP as she is changing daily and is loosing that "new baby look".

The shot above is just the front of the announcement, and there are more pictures on the back side. The announcement is being printed on Pearl press paper, which is just awesome stuff. It has this really great texture and has a interesting look when light skims off the surface.

One proud papa!

2009-06-12T17:52:00.003-07:00

What an angel. She is just so perfect. This little one is definitely going to be "daddy's girl". She just sleeps in my arms in the most contented fashion.

Thanks to everyone for all the well wishes. Mom and baby are doing fantastic. With any luck I'll be able to get some fine art shots tomorrow!

My son has been such a good helper (shocking!). My other daughter just adores her baby sister, when she wants to, but also has developed a bit of jealously because she doesn't have 100% of mom's attention. A few incidents of acting out, but other than that she has been a really good girl.

I'm just so blessed.

Megan Victoria

2009-06-10T14:02:00.004-07:00

She's finally here! My wife went into labor last night, and this morning at 3:00 AM, my beautiful daughter was born. She is 6 pounds, 10 ounces, and just a tiny thing. I've got a lot on my plate right now, so I'm just breezing through the hospital portraits. I've got some really great ideas for when I get her home, and I'm saving the surprise until then.

Heather and Hannah

2009-06-08T23:12:00.004-07:00

A few weeks ago, I donated a free session for a fundraiser. Tonight, I was able to shoot Heather and Hannah for their parents who bought the donated session at the fundraiser.

This whole family was just a blast to hang out with and shoot. The girls were so beautiful, and posed so well with each other. It definitely made my job easier.

The youngest is a catcher for the Hotshots softball team. I've got some really fantastic shots of her in all her gear, as well as some closeups. She has an absolutely intimidating stare, and I'd wager she is pretty good at psyching out many a hitter stepping into the batting box.

....more to come.

http://briandownerphotography.com/

Sasha

2009-05-24T14:31:00.004-07:00

This little beauty is just 10 days old. Her Mom, Grandpa, and big sister came to see me today, and it was my pleasure to capture a few images.

When shooting children, especially babies, you can guarantee no two sessions are alike. About the only thing you can guarantee is that someone is going to get wet (usually me and Mom for sure). I'd have to say that Sasha is one of the most unique babies I've been able to shoot. She made me work harder than I have in quite a long time. Good practice!

Ducati 1098

2009-05-16T12:55:00.003-07:00

Had a wonderful chance to shoot a Ducati 1098 this morning as part of a calendar series. This bike is going to be used for the month of April. I did several angle shots of the bike, as well as quite a few close-ups. It's always fun to shoot a subject that doesn't have a "bad" side. No matter which angle I used, there was always something visually interesting about this bike.

Although I'm a fan of Japanese motorcycles, I'll readily admit that this Italian machine is simply gorgeous.

http://briandownerphotography.com

Fundraiser

2009-05-12T13:20:00.002-07:00

I had a really interesting call yesterday from a previous client. It seems that her daughter's softball team is trying to put together a fundraising auction, and she wanted to know if I would be willing to participate. Hey, it's for the kids, right? Who could pass that up.

So, I'm going to donate a free portrait session, and a free 16x20 mounted print. I'm also going to be giving a 25% discount off any other prints purchased from this session, and discounting any custom framing as well. The session fee, and print, are valued at over $400, so someone should be getting a good deal.

Hopefully that will bring a few shekels in for the team. I just need to get a slide show presentation for them to run at the auction table, so the bidders can see examples of my work.

New Website

2009-05-10T08:11:00.002-07:00

"The only constant is change." -Heraclitus

I've really been yearning to update the website for quite a while now. I wanted a complete restructuring of the galleries, and find something that fit better with my photographic style. The previous iteration of the website was designed primarily around just fine art. This new site has a far more contemporary look, but still allows for the fine art images to be displayed well. I also needed a better method to display some of the commercial work for my clients, as commercial assignments are becoming a larger part of our work. So, now I have a reserved, and logon protected, area for my commercial clients.

Feel free to take a look and tell us what you think. The "Contact Us" section has been updated with an online form so that you don't have to use your own email. Just type in your email address and your message and the website will generate the email for you.

http://www.briandownerphotography.com

Diana

2009-05-08T19:20:00.002-07:00

Stunning....simply stunning.

Not much to say about this young lady. Diana is the younger sister of Christina below. When I was able to take Christina's pictures, I was so very lucky to be able to shoot Diana as well.

I could tell you how gorgeous she is, how she is just a joyful person, and all of that. However, as a wise man once said, "A picture is worth a thousand words." So, here is a few thousands words worth of beauty.

Of course, I had to get a shot of these beautiful ladies together:

High School Senior special

2009-05-05T17:31:00.003-07:00

May starts our favorite time of year at the studio. It's High School Senior season!

Now is a great time for the class of 2010 to have their senior pictures taken. For that reason, we are offering a special here at the studio:

*Any senior session booked during the month of May will receive 1/2 off the session fee (A $200 value).

We will also be giving away two free sessions this month, and all senior sessions will receive their images on CD.

To receive this offer, you need to call us during the month of May, and is for "in studio" sessions only.

Here are examples from our 5/2 session:

http://briandownerphotography.com/
sales@briandownerphotography.com
(480)247-0885

Senior session

2009-05-02T22:27:00.002-07:00

This stunning young woman is Christina. She is graduating this year, and I was fortunate enough to be able to provide some senior images for her. Obviously, I don't have to tell you how much fun it can be to shoot someone so beautiful.

My luck must be with me today, because I not only got to shoot Christina, but her gorgeous sister Diana. Diana is 15, a gymnast, and runs track. I'm still working on those images, so stay tuned.

One last thing about Christina. For some reason, her boyfriend didn't take her to prom. That caused me to come up with the image below. Something tells me that not taking Christina to prom is going to haunt some man for the rest of his life.

Mother's Day Special

2009-04-26T22:19:00.003-07:00

Just in time to honor all those wonderful mothers out there, we are running a Mother's Day special. It's a great way to honor all those mothers out there who give so much for all of us.

If you book your maternity, or infant, portrait session before Mother's Day, we will waive the session fee (A $400 value)! We are also providing a 10% discount on any wall portraits for these sessions.

Now for the "fine print":

This special only applies to maternity and infant sessions that are booked before 5/10/2009. You do not have to have your sessions completed by 5/10/2009, but you do need to have it scheduled by then.
A 10% discount is only applicable to Wall Portraits (16x20 or larger).
Maternity sessions, and infant portrait sessions, are available as either fine art, or contemporary images.
For infant portrait sessions, the child must be less than 3 weeks old at the time of the photography session.
Nude/Semi-nude maternity images are only available as fine art. If you would like a nude/semi-nude maternity image, you must request it at the time of scheduling. Any customer that wishes for nude, or semi-nude, images will be required to be accompanied by a spouse, or the father of the baby, at the time of the session.
Nude/Semi-nude maternity sessions are not available for expectant mothers under the age of 18. No exceptions.

Springtime!

2009-04-19T18:03:00.002-07:00

Spring...My favorite time of year. Here in AZ, it really only lasts for a couple of weeks, and before you know it, it's 115 degrees outside.

Normally, I'm too busy to take pictures of my own Children for Easter, and this year I was determined to not let that happen. I had set aside the day before Easter for some outdoor pictures of my children, only to find that day filled with rain. Oh well, there is always next year.

I had a rare free morning, so I grabbed my youngest and took her to the park for some pictures. She has just the most amazing eyes, and I wanted to use the natural light to bring them out. If only I could get her to look at me, that is... Seems she was far more interested in the little boys playing on the slide than having her picture taken. Sigh.

Next year. I promise.

Updates, updates, updates......

2009-04-14T15:32:00.003-07:00

Seems like just yesterday, but it's actually been over 4 weeks since my last blog entry. Where does the time go?

Anyway, some exciting news here at the studio. We recently attended a seminar put together by David Ziser and Marathon press. It's the first training opportunity I've been able to attend since the PPA convention in January.

David put on a great show. I always find it fascinating when I watch how another photographer uses light. It's like being able to see object with another set of eyes. This training opportunity re-ignited my passion for the artistry and creativity in my work, which always seems to be running a bit low towards winter's end. The coming of spring, and all it's beauty, always drags me outside and ready to try and explore new things. Now, with my normal techniques in my "bag of tricks", ideas for tweaking some of those techniques/tools, and brand new ideas inspired by the recent training, I'm ready to play.

I was also hoping to attend a senior photographer's workshop in Utah this summer. Sadly, I am not going to be able to make it. With our third child coming in late June, and due to some complications with the pregnancy I am going to be staying close to home.

In other news of late, we just joined WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International). WPPI is just a great organization, full of training opportunities, print critiques, and tools to take a studio to another level in performance. I'm really excited about this, and I only wish I hadn't waited so long to join. I can't wait to see how the studio will change and evolve in the future as we implement all the great things we are learning already.

Ahhhh, spring. I do so love this time of year.

Harley

2009-03-08T17:09:00.005-07:00

I had the wonderful opportunity to shoot Rob and his Harley today. Rob is a MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) instructor, as well as a writer for motorcycle magazines. Plus, Rob is just a great guy, and I had a ton of fun shooting him and his bike.

This is just one gorgeous Harley, and even a sportbike enthusiast like myself can appreciate the beauty of this black and chrome piece of eye candy. I'll be editing these photos for quite some time. I'm sure that more than a few of them are going to make some great posters.

Thanks for a great time, Rob.

www.briandownerphotography.com/

Engaged!

2009-03-01T13:08:00.004-07:00

You may recognize Steph from a blog entry last month. When I processed her images, she asked me if she could use one of them for a wedding announcement as she and her boyfriend had just gotten engaged. Well, of course she could use them, but I wanted to do something a little special just for them. So, I offered them an engagement shoot.

We decided to take some pictures out at Tempe Town Lake. I'm so glad we went outside for this series as the weather was just perfect for March in Arizona. Beautiful sunshine and a nice breeze made it just so much fun to be outside.

Big thanks to Steve at SCP Photography for his help today. Breezes are wonderful things, but not when you need to hold onto a 6 foot reflector panel that tends to act like a large sail.

Family session

2009-02-21T16:41:00.004-07:00

Here are a few images from today's session with a family of 5. I had photographed the youngest boy last year, and I made mom promise to get the rest of the family in for a nice B&W session.

These boys, and the family as a whole, are just gorgeous. The oldest boy just has such an interesting energy about him, and the middle son is all play. I had a blast, but photographing a family like this requires that you have to be fast moving. It didn't leave me much time to try and satisfy the artist in me, but with the previews complete, I know they are going to love these images.

Oh, yeah. Here is the mother of those 3 boys, and the youngest is just turning two. No way I'd believe she has 3 children, much less 3 young boys.

As alwyas, click the pics for full size images.

www.briandownerphotography.com/

Why Black and White

2009-02-15T15:53:00.005-07:00

I've often been asked if "fine art portraiture" really means that I just shoot black and white, rather than color. The answer to that, of course, is "no". Now, I'll readily admit that many of my studio images are in black and white, but the reverse is also true in that most of my location work is in color. There are also times when I'll shoot an entire session in either color or black and white, with no mix between them.

I definitely consider myself an artist, and not a "photographer". An artist is one who creates, who envisions, and is capable of reaching an audience regardless of the medium. Most importantly, an artist is one who can do all of that consciously. To me, a photographer is one who captures what is in front of them, without any thought to the end image before the shutter is pressed.

My style of photography is based upon being able to capture more than just a likeness of an individual. I try to capture mood, and evoke thought. With child subjects, I try to give the viewer a glimpse of that child as they will be, and not just as they are now. With seniors, I try to capture vitality, energy, and the evolution that takes place as one turns from an adolescent to an adult. With families, I try to show the bonds and relationships between members. Each of these types of subjects requires different thought processes and different methods to capture the desired effect.

So, why black and white so often in the studio? The reason for that is simple. As human beings, we all have biases. That includes color bias. Some people favor red, some blue, some green, and some may even like orange. A black and white conversion removes any color bias of the viewer. It strips all of the distractions in everyday life and exposes the core of the subject. Combine the control studio lighting provides, with the power of an image removed of any color bias, and the results are devestatingly powerful.

Also, as an artist I visualize in black and white. When I want to focus on a specific element, and determine how to capture what I want, the first thing I do is remove color from my mind's eye. Once I've lost the distraction of color, I can clearly see how to light, how to pose a subject, and how to compose the scene within my lens. I can then start to visualize the scene in color, and if the scene maintains it's integrity, I'll capture and display the image in color. If I feel the image is not as strong in color, then I'll push onward to capture, edit, and display in black and white.

The final decision to photograph as color or black and white is really a factor I have no control over. It typically is a result of clothing, lighting conditions, or background elements that cannot be overcome. To make color images in these situations would destroy the integrity of the photograph. It would counter the mood I wanted to set, or cause distractions I did not want.

In sum, the best answer I can give as to why so many of my images tend to be in black and white, is that it is the best way for a viewer to see something as I see it in my mind. It is the sharpest tool that I can use to ensure the end result is pure, and evoke that raw emotion that will instantly bring a mother to tears. It is one of the reasons, along with lighting, posing, and composition, why people will stare transfixed at an image and absorb the beauty captured within.

Commercial work

2009-02-10T21:30:00.004-07:00

Today was a bit of a departure for me. I spent the afternoon doing commercial work for a local print company. The images were going to be used for brochures and such, and not portraiture in the traditional sense.

I was very challenged during this shoot. The lighting at the location was primarily florescent, which is the worst kind of lighting for a photographer. Florescent lighting actually has several color temperatures throughout a single sine wave, and if your shutter speed is too fast, you will typically end up with a horrible green or yellow cast that is not easily fixed. I was basically left with two options: use strobes, or try to balance for the fluorescent lights. Each option has it's pros and cons.

In the end, I have several GB worth of images, and I think the client will be thrilled. They have a bunch of great stuff to work with and update this manufacturing company's marking material.

Of course, I did take a bit of an opportunity to play a little bit, and stretch my artistic side. BTW, shooting welding is TOUGH. The light is changing constantly, and usually the environment isn't the most appealing from an aesthetic perspective.

Click on the images for larger sizes.

"Pitch-ur" time

2009-02-08T22:37:00.003-07:00

This little one is my daughter. I was setting the lights for a maternity session, and my little girl wanted her picture taken. She often gets very excited when she sees me with my camera, and always tries to get me to photograph her. I had a little time to kill, so I asked her to pose for me, and she climbed up on the chair. I threw her a stuffed bear, and I was able to get 4 frames before she was tired of sitting for daddy.

She is just too precious, even if I do say so myself. Thankfully she looks like her mom.

click the link for larger sizes.

www.briandownerphotography.com/

Miss December 2008

2009-02-01T21:32:00.005-07:00

This is Steph. She recently was voted by an online community as having the best looking bike during a recent "Bike of the Month" competition. As her prize, she was given a photoshoot, and the opportunity of having her and her bike placed in a calendar.

I had a blast with this shoot. Steph brought her boyfriend, and we threw him into the mix and used him as a prop. Both Steph and her boyfriend were just a ton of fun, and the 3 hours went by far quicker than I had realized.

As for the bike, it is a beautiful 2006 MV Agusta Brutale 910S. It's got sexiness and attitude. Just don't call it a Ducati!

Be sure to click on the links for larger sizes.

Brothers

2009-01-25T21:59:00.007-07:00

Michael and Christopher are the brothers of Kayla, who has been featured on the blog previously. I had the joy of shooting these boys recently, and I'm overjoyed at these images. These boys are just the sweetest kids, and even though they are 5 and 3 years old, they act so very mature for their age.

I like this image a lot, but to me it seems like he is 3 going on 30. He was quite the poser, and I've got tons of great shots of him. I even have a series where he just wanted to jump and down, and I figured I'd just let him do his thing. They turned out so cute and you can just see his little personality as he plays.

Michael was a bit timid in front of the camera, but after a while he warmed up. He just has an amazing gaze that is penetrating.

www.briandownerphotography.com/

Mea Culpa!

2009-01-25T14:35:00.005-07:00

I knew it had been far too long since my last blog entry, but until I had opened the blog itself did I realize how long I have put this off. I greatly apologize.

January has been a interesting month indeed. We spent the first part of the month attending the large Wedding Expo, and the Professional Photographers Association convention here in Phoenix. Also, the studio has been offline for quite a while as our new wood floors required some repairs due to damage during installation. A glue down hardwood floor is not an easy thing to repair as it requires taking a chisel and hammer to each board and effectively "cutting" them out. What was supposed to be a couple days turned into weeks. Definitely, not a fun time.

On the other hand, we do have some great news to announce. Starting in February, we will be offering custom framing as well as portraits. This will allow our clients to see exactly how their images can look and provide our expertise in choosing the complimentary frame/mat for each image. It also allows us to provide options for our clients, as we can package a portrait and frame combination, run specials, and devise collections at very competitive prices. We hope all our clients are as excited about this as we are.

I'll be adding some images to the website and blog later this week, so stay tuned.

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T10:41:00.004-07:00

Thanks to all of the friends and clients of Brian Downer Photography for making 2008 such a great year. As I reflect back on the year, I am amazed at how much changed during the past 12 months, and I still have plans for many more changes for 2009. Some of those changes include:

Implementation of fine art portrait collections instead of packages. These collections will be based around the size of the wall print chosen, with various smaller print sizes included (these smaller prints are client selectable).
Elimination of packages in favor of A' La' Carte pricing. This will allow for clients to purchase only those products they want, without having to bundle them with additional items they may have no use for.
Adding digital media to the A' La' Carte menu. Great for digital photo frames and Facebook/Myspace accounts.
Online proof galleries will now be available for 30 days if requested by our clients.
Implementation of our Platinum club for our top clients.
Complimentary sessions for repeat customers.

Happy New year. We are very excited to see what 2009 brings, and hope your 2009 is the best year yet, filled with family, friends, and joy.

Family Christmas

2008-12-27T21:06:00.002-07:00

Just a quick teaser image from my family shoot this (cold) morning. This family was just great, and despite the below freezing temps at sunrise we came away with some wonderful shots.

The couple in in the image above have been married for 42 years. That is just wonderful, and thinking about two people with such a strong bond and commitment to each other makes me smile. For this Christmas, all their children and grandchildren came to town, and this presented a great opportunity for new family portraits.

I had such a great time with everyone. The little kids were just so cute, and everyone was so good natured despite the freezing temps and the early hour. I'm blessed, and honored, to put these images together for them. Time passes too fast, kids grow faster than we realize, and taking time for family cherishing the moments we have with each other is so important.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T08:31:00.007-07:00

I'd like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. I'll be spending tonight trying to enjoy Christmas through my children. For adults, the holidays can be stressful, with all the shopping, baking, errands, family gatherings and such. I want to step back from all of that and just think of the Christmas that kids see. All they know is the joy of Christmas.

So, this year we are going all out. We are going to stay home, watch the Peanuts specials, and the claymation specials, play some games, and drink hot chocolate. I really want to make Christmas special for my kids this year. Pretty soon my son is going to be too old for Santa, and I don't want to think about how Christmas will be when it will become just about the presents for him. Right now, both my kids just light up when they talk about Santa, and for me their excitement and wonder is really what makes Christmas special.

2009 is going to have some more changes for the studio. Updates for the website, pricing, and other items are coming soon. Lots of updates in the making, so be sure to stop by the website: http://www.briandownerphotography.com/

Lastly, to all our friends, thanks for making 2008 such a great year. We have had such a blast, and I'm excited to see what 2009 brings.

Brian

Mill Avenue

2008-12-14T09:51:00.008-07:00

I spent some time last night out on Mill Avenue with a few other photographers. We went out to try and challenge ourselves with things we don't normally do, and in this case we tried low light street photography. Challenging is an understatement. Shooting at f/1.8 at 1/80th of a second at ISO 1250 just to try and get an exposure is very tough. Lighting is a mixture of tungten from the Christmas tree lights, florescent shop lighting spilling into the street, and the headlights of passing cars. Makes white balancing a tough job for sure!

Mill avenue is kinda of a interesting place. It is right next to Arizona State University, and is in the heart of one of the more "progressive" cities. The people it attracts are extremely diverse. You have the college age crowds heading to the bars/clubs, upscale shoppers, general partiers, people visiting Tempe Town lake, and a fairly large homeless/street performers/panhandler contingent as well. It can be a great time, but one needs to be careful as it can get very dangerous. Mill Avenue is pretty well known for some of the violence that takes place there.

Black and White Christmas

2008-12-13T10:51:00.002-07:00

What a way to end the Christmas season. For my last sitting, I was able to do a series of black and white fine art portraits. These kids are really gorgeous, and the images are going to be stunning.

Siblings are always fun to shoot. It can be quite challenging to try and show the bonds between brothers and sisters. Of course, at certain ages, it can be just challenging to get them to get next to each other for pictures. I'm glad these two could work together and get some really amazing shots.

....and another Christmas season comes to a close

2008-12-05T19:39:00.009-07:00

It's been a great 2008! I've booked my last Holiday session for the 12th. That barely gives me enough time to do some basic editing, hold a proof session, edit the final images, order them, and deliver them by the week of Christmas. Next year, I'm going to do a better job informing my clients of timeframes. Ideally, studio Holiday portraits need to be scheduled for November to guarantee availability by Christmas. Outdoor Holiday portraits are at the mercy of the weather. December tends to be a wet month, but most locations aren't putting up their holiday decorations until after Thanksgiving. That only gives me a couple weeks for outdoor location shots.

By all appearances, 2009 is going to be a rocking year. I'm almost booked for January, which is often a very slow period and is great for catching up on business related items. Well, it doesn't look like that will happen, so I'll be burning the midnight oil to try and catch up on the website updates, and other such tasks.

Aiden!

2008-11-23T10:38:00.004-07:00

Here is a shot from this little cutie that I was able to get into the studio yesterday. What can I say, but he is such a cutie, and full of energy. He was such a ball to shoot, and when he gave out one of his belly laughs, it was so heartwarming.

His mom is going to LOVE his pictures. I've only got a handful edited so far, but they are turning out great. Hopefully, I'll have them all ready fore viewing shortly after Thanksgiving, but I've only been able to cull the keeper shots down to 57. That is a lot of editing left to do.

Studio Expansion!

2008-11-21T19:04:00.003-07:00

I'm am EXTREMELY happy to announce that my wife and I are expecting our third child. Our little angel should be arriving in late June. We are so very pleased, and excited.

Thankfully, we have had a great year here at the studio, and we are already booking into several dates into 2009. If everything goes as planned, we can move to a larger home, which will grant us much needed room for this growing family. It would also afford us the opportunity to add more variety for location shots beyond what we are using already.

If anyone has any name suggestions (don't know the sex of the baby), we are all ears.
It's going to be a GREAT Thanksgiving!

Back in the studio

2008-11-19T16:04:00.003-07:00

The last few days have been a whole lot of fun. I've been out in Texas helping the largest retailer of motorcycle apparel set up their photoroom so they can do their own product shots. It turned out to be quite a fun challenge as I got to stretch my creativity a bit and think about more than just fine art portraiture. I also got to get back into the teaching mode, as I had to train their staff on basic camera functions, lighting, and even post processing. The most fun, though was the people. I was treated like family from the very beginning.

Even with as much fun as I had, I'm really glad to be home. I miss my family when I travel, and it's always good to come home to their little angelic faces (ok, so I admit that I often have my "daddy goggles" on).

I've got another announcement regarding an addition to the studio. I'll add that to the next blog for www.briandownerphotography.com. It's pretty much the biggest thing that has happened in the last 2 years. With any luck, I'll be able to announce it this Friday.

Busy, Busy, Busy

2008-11-05T14:49:00.002-07:00

Man, October has just been one hectic month. I've been working hard on finishing up the studio space, and office space. Most of the artwork is up, new lighting is in place, and the office cabnetry is nearly done (just need some trim work). I've got a few more touch-ups on some things, and maybe some repainting will be done too, but for the most part everything is good to go!

November looks like it will be just as busy as October. Besides the normal holiday feasts, and related Black Friday, I've got several family events and birthdays. Requests for Christmas/Holiday portraits and cards are filling out most of the calendar at this time, but I'm still holding out some days for some nice outdoor portraits. I just love shooting this time of year, as it is a great time to be outside.

Later in the month, I'll be heading out to Texas. I've been working with the largest retailer of motorcycle apparel in the U.S., and they want to set up their own dedicated camera room. I've ordered a bunch of stuff for them, and I'll fly out there for a couple days to get everything all set up. It's going to be a great time!

I've got one other fun announcement, but I'll save that for later in the month. :)

Thank Heaven.....for Little Girls

2008-10-11T06:16:00.003-07:00

Norman Rockwell, eat your heart out.

This little angel is the sister of the boy in the post below. She is just a sweetheart. She turns 2 next month, and her mom wanted some pictures taken. When she came into the studio, she was so proud of her pig tails, and so very excited to have her picture taken. That made the session so much fun. I'm going to take some of the pictures of each of them and put them into a 16x20 collage. It's going to be fantastic!

I didn't mean to make her cry

2008-10-09T19:29:00.006-07:00

I do so love this picture. The blown highlights, and the extreme high key make him look like an Angel, which is the mood I was trying to achieve.

So, it turns out his mom teared up when she saw the pics. Thankfully, they were tears of joy, as his mom could see in the pictures the sweetness of his spirit. It's one of those cases where I'm proud to say, I can make a woman cry.

Hard to believe he is only 6 years old.

Little Kayla

2008-10-05T07:00:00.008-07:00

Yesterday, I had one of the most fun, and sweetest sessions in a long time. The image above is of little Kayla, and she was just too cute.

The shot below is a good reminder to me why I got into portraiture in the first place. I absolutely enjoy the feeling of love, and the bond between mother and daughter in this shot.

One more (I'm a sucker for those little toes).

Special Offers

2008-09-05T12:31:00.015-07:00

One of the main goals this summer was a complete makeover for the company. This included a complete revamp of the website, as well as the studio spaces. Well, the studio space is done, but the website portion is still not complete. In order to complete the makeover, I really want to use as many new and fresh images in the portfolio galleries as possible. To make that a reality, I've decided to offer some discounts on certain items.

First the disclaimer information:

Participants in this discount program understand that their images will be used for promotional items of Brian Downer Photography. This includes the website, and additional promotional materials.
These discounts apply to current product offerings available from Brian Downer Photography.
All sessions need to be completed by 10/31/08.

Not too bad, or hard to accept I would hope. So, now here is what we are offering.

No session fee for any Children's portraits, Senior portraits, Maternity portraits, Engagement portraits.
If you wish to purchase directly from the A' La Carte menu, rather than a package, you still receive a waived session fee, and a 10% discount on A' La Carte items.
If you purchase a package, the package price will be reduced by $125, and you will receive a 30% discount if you wish to purchase additional items from the A' La Carte menu beyond what is included in the package.

Depending on the packages purchased, additional items will be added to the package:

Pearl Package- Free 8x10 print.

Emerald Package- Free 8x10 print, or free 11x14 print.

Diamond Package- Free 16x20 collage, or free 11x14 print.

Milano Package- Free 11x14 print and 6 free 4x6 prints.

Venezia Package- 10 free 4x6 prints and 2 free 5x7 prints.

Firenze Package- Free 16x20 collage, and 10 free 4x6 prints.

For example, if you wanted to purchase the Emerald Package, which is normally $670, you would only pay $545, plus receive either a free 8x10 or 11x14. If you purchased any additional items from the A' La Carte menu, they would receive an automatic 30% discount on those items.

This special goes into effect immediately. Feel free to give us a call at (480)247-0885 or email at sales@briandownerphotography.com to book your session. Hurry and book your session today.

http://briandownerphotography.com/

Great Pics! What camera do you use?

2008-09-04T07:42:00.003-07:00

As a photographer, that is one comment I hear pretty much every time I display my pictures. Lately, it seems that question is getting asked about 4 or more times a day. So, for those curious, I'll list the gear I use.

Main camera body:
Canon 5D. Yup, that is right. I'm using an older digital body. The main reason that I continue to use this camera is because it gives me everything I need. I could go out an buy the newer Canon 1D series, or switch to Nikon, but I've given up chasing megapixels or the latest body release. I find that good technique far outweighs having the latest camera.

Backup camera body:
Canon 20D. I bought this body back in 2005, and it served as my main camera for a couple years. It has done an exceptional job, and in fact some of my gallery images were taken with this camera. It has since been surpassed with the 30D, 40D, and the new 50D from Canon, but I don't intend to upgrade.

Lenses:
Canon 24-70 2.8L
Canon 85 1.2L
Canon 70-200 F4L

Lenses are where you will see a great return on your investment. I have chosen to go with only the L lenses because they are the best. Differences between camera bodies isn't normally that significant, but differences between good and great lenses are huge!

Studio strobes:
Hensel Integra Pro Plus. I love Hensel strobes. They give off such a beautiful light. They are not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but are well worth every penny. They are extremely consistent with power output, and color temperature. I also think they give a beautiful enhancement to most skin colors. Had I not gone with Hensel, I probably would have chosen Elinchrom, or Profoto, and been just as happy.

Light modifiers:
I primarily use softboxes instead of umbrellas. I like having the ability to control the light better, and I think the light is more flattering for portraits as well. I use both Hensel and Photoflex softboxes. I plan on picking up some octoboxes as well, and maybe I'll try out the Chimera.

When I'm not using softboxes, I will use a standard 7" or 5" reflector with grids, various snoots, and such, but it is strictly dependent upon the look I want.

Studio Muslin:
Silverlake. I've got probably 8 or 9 Silverlake muslin backdrops. I love these drops for fine art portraits. One day, I'll break down and get a Maheu to add to the inventory.

Well, there you have it. That is a list of the main gear I use. I'm not going to bother to list out everything, as there is just too much stuff (light stands, white balance cards, etc).

Now that I've listed the gear I use, I'll tell you the most important thing: Use the right equipment to support your vision. The image isn't made by the camera, it is made by the photographer. The camera can't pose the subject, direct the lights, and take the picture. The photographer has to do that. The camera only captures the image that the photographer has already created within the scene. Stunning pictures aren't because of the equipment, and that is the reason why I giving a passing yawn to announcement of new cameras being released. I could use Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, or nearly any other manufacturer, and get pretty much the same results. The key is being able to understand how your camera sees the scene you have created, and use the controls on the camera so that it can take the picture you already see in your mind. It is similar to giving credit to the shoes an Olympic runner wears when setting a world record, and not understanding that it is the skill and effort on the runners part to achieve their goal. The equipment just supports them.

New Slideshow

2008-09-03T11:44:00.004-07:00

One thing I really wish I could change about my website is the viewing size, and the ability to run some of the galleries as a slide show. Since I've already started updating the website using the new templates, I'll go with what I have (for now). To solve the slideshow problem, I'll post links to an external hosting site, that you can use to view the slideshows.

The first one can be found here (there is a little suprise for you at the end):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/12693910@N04/show/

Back in the Saddle again

2008-09-01T20:06:00.006-07:00

Literally, and figuratively. Ok, it's a bad pun, but it sums up my feelings after re-opening the studio, and it also coincides with the first shoot I've done since the construction began in earnest. It also sparked me to take on more work than just portraiture. I'm now going to add motorsports, and commercial efforts to my product offerings.

Here are some samples (click for full size, and choose "all sizes"):

Enjoy the pics, buddy. I had a great time.

Up and running

2008-09-01T19:49:00.002-07:00

Well, it has been a long time coming, but I'm extremely happy to announce that we are back to accepting clients again. It has been a rough several weeks with the upgrades happening to the studio and office spaces, and it has taken far longer than I could have imaged. In the end, I trust all the hardship will prove worthwhile. The upgraded mahogany flooring is awesome to see, and if just opens the studio space up with a warm feeling. The office flooring is done, but there is yet some cabinetry and furniture work to complete, but we can at least use the space for post production work.

To show my enthusiasm for the new changes and to the re-opening of the studio, I will be announcing some specials. These will run for a limited time, but will be a great way for anyone to get some fantastic photography. I will make the official announcements by the end of the week.

Thank you all for your patience. I look forward to seeing all my old clients again, and welcome new ones to the family.

Studio re-opening delayed

2008-07-07T12:18:00.002-07:00

Well, I was fully expecting to re-open the studio this week, but unfortunately that isn't going to happen. After a great deal of problems with the new flooring, we are left with a workspace that is simply not useable. Sadly, it seems that I am not really getting any attention from Empire Today, who was contracted to perform the install, and I'm going to have to file a complaint with the Registrar of Contractors. A huge section of the floor is bare concrete as Empire did not have all of the wood on hand (nor did they tell me before they began demolition). The part they did install, used inferior glue so the planks are not staying in place. The office space itself is packed with materials and other items so that I cannot set up any editing equipment for any shoots not performed at the studio.

I sincerely apologize to all for this. I hope to get this remedied in the near future, and appreciate your patience and understanding.

Almost finished

2008-06-22T17:21:00.007-07:00

Well, I've almost got all the website updates completed. It is with mixed emotions that I published the new price list. I know that the prices have gone up, and on some items they have gone up significantly. Unfortunately, it couldn't be helped. As a small business, we can't afford to absorb all the cost increases from our suppliers, and some of it has to be passed on. I've done my best to make sure we are staying competitive in the marketplace, and I'm sure that my customers know the value of the items coming from this studio.

Please come visit the new website, and tell me what you think: briandownerphotography.com

To compliment the website, I'm upgrading the studio facilities as well. In a couple weeks, I expect to have some gorgeous hardwood floors installed, and shortly thereafter I'm going to upgrade the office furnishings as well. I think the office could use some sprucing up with some new flooring, some built-in's and new furniture. I haven't decided if I'm going to install a flat panel in the office for viewing, or if I should stick to online viewing, or printed proofs. Oh well, I've got time.

While the studio upgrades are going into place, I won't be taking any in studio clients. I'll still be available for some on site work. When the studio reopens, I think it will be a great time for me to launch some promotions. First thing I want to do is to get the portfolio updated. I'm thinking of some special offers for clients who are interested lending me their images for advertising. I'm also going to be launching a referral program, as well as a few other items. Stay tuned....

Upgrades complete

2008-06-11T09:20:00.002-07:00

Well, after a little bit of effort, I finally have all the upgrade pieces in place. I figured it was a good enough time to clean out the system and start fresh, so I made double sure I had all my files and images backed up and then I went the extra step of re-installing Windows XP and put SP3 on the machine. After restoring all my files, it looks like all is well. I did make one mistake and when I backed up my music files, I backed up their licenses as well thinking I could restore them. Unfortunately, I upgraded to Windows Media Player 11, which will not allow you to restore a license. Looking through all the whitepapers, and even from the download providers, it appears that the only backup solution for WMV, MP3 and other files protected with DRM is that you have to burn them to CD which completely removes the DRM protection entirely. Seems a bit odd, but I only lost a few files that I hadn't already burned to CD anyway. Not a huge loss.

So, it looks like I'm back in form to continue the Website upgrades. First on the list is to upgrade the price lists and contact information. I think this weekend should be a good time to tackle those items.

Time to upgrade the hardware too....

2008-05-30T20:42:00.002-07:00

Well, after starting the website upgrade, I noticed that my main editing PC was running far slower than normal. I did a quick baseline check to test the benchmarks, and it looks like it is time for some upgrades. So, for the time being, I'm focusing on the PC upgrade and will continue with the website upgrade once that is complete.

Progress.....

2008-05-28T12:38:00.000-07:00

Well, the website redesign is underway and things are moving along. The first thing I decided to tackle was the HTML splash page. As my website is Flash based, I need some form of HTML presence in order for my site to be viewable by search engines such as Google, Yahoo, Ask, and others. It's also a double edged sword. The HTML splash page needs to be inviting, and create a desire for viewers to actually want to enter the flash based portion of the website.

So here is the challenge: How do you create an inviting HTML splash page for a photography website? The answer, of course, is pictures. You need some sort of showcase of what you, as a photographer, are capable of creating. You use that to create the desire in the viewer to enter the website to see more images, and to find out more about you as an artist and what you provide.

After deciding on some pictures to put on the splash page, I next turned my attention to the graphics. How would the website name appear? How about a logo? Should I use text, or utilize brushes to simulate text? Oh, the pain of the creative. In the end, I decided to go with something that gives a visual representation of the style of photography in which I specialize. I wanted to convey elements of heirloom quality, aesthetic appeal, and elegance. To accomplish that, I drew from the wisdom and experience of those that have been doing this type of thing for a long time.....jewelers. I sampled hundreds of images looking for something to strike a creative spark in my brain. That is where I would find what I needed: Elegance, style, and quality all combined. It hit me like a ton of bricks when I saw it in a pair of monogrammed cuff links. Simple, but effective, with a base of Onyx offset by my initials in platinum and surrounded in a gold border. Perfect! Now I had to recreate it.

As a photographer, I've found so many uses for Photoshop. I know that Adobe charges an arm and a leg for this program, but it is definitely worth it. With this one program, I can design my logo and name, create the pictures to put on the splash page, but it will also format it into an HTML page for me! What more could I ask for? So after a few attempts, I found the combination of text fonts, embossing, and color to give me something that I was happy with. A couple quick clicks, and I had my HTML splash page. Groovy, baby! A few more clicks, and I had my favicon (the little logo that shows up on the address bar next the the website URL) done as well. I would have liked to have the favicon match the logo design, but no matter what I tried I could get the gold/platinum look to be legible on white. If I put it on a black background all I could see in the 16x16 pixel box was a black square. So, in the end I was left with just putting my initials in black on a white background. Oh well, it will do for now.

Next on the to do list is the website content. I think I'll save the gallery updates for last. I've got a lot of good pictures to choose from, but one thing is for certain is that over the years my photographic style has evolved. I need to make sure that what I put in the gallery is cohesive and presents a unified theme. So, for now, I'll start with the updates to the price list and about us pages.

Time for some Housekeeping

2008-05-27T15:29:00.000-07:00

I've been meaning to update the website for quite some time, and the long Memorial weekend seemed the perfect time to do it. Of course, once I got started I quickly realized that I wasn't looking at just a simple layout change, but an entire overhaul. I never really paid attention to all the little things that bugged me about the website to begin with, but this seemed the perfect opportunity to address them all at once.

My current website is Flash based, and built on a predefined template. That didn't give me a lot of room to customize the website to my own style. To do that, I'd need to be able to code in HTML and Java. Although I have a very strong technical background, those two programming languages as about as native to me as Russian, French, and Arabic. Oh well, nothing like being put in a "sink or swim" environment. Even if I don't get my website to look perfect, at least it will be much better than what it has been for some time. I think I'll take it slow and work on something individually:

Redesign of the site logo
Add favicons
Redesign of the HTML splash page
Update of Galleries
Update of all price lists
Update contact lists and links to the new blog site!

The new website is going to be up at: www.briandownerphotography.com. Feel free to stop on by and I'd love to hear any comments/critiques on the website.