New fire station opens this month

I covered the opening of Keller Fire Station No. 4 earlier this month. These are a few of the images from the event. I'm far from being a kid anymore, but there's something really cool about being in a fire station (for firefighters, it's probably cool, too, but involves work). It's only got one floor, so there's no fire pole to slide down. Sadly!

Zoe in the bluebonnets

I photographed my niece last week in some bluebonnets in Wylie, the same field we used for her 1-year portraits last year (see post below), as well as a street just off of the main drag. Got lots of good shots, but here are a few of my favorites. Sometimes it's harder for me to be in the zone when I know the subjects well, and I didn't notice that my sister was holding her car keys in the third photo above until afterward. I took some where they weren't visible, but their expressions are best in this one.

Won't be long until the wildflower season is over and the heat is on! Always a little sad to see that happen, but my allergies are OK with summertime vs. spring.

The Big 'Cheeeeeeeeeeeese'

This was among the last shots I took of this group comprising the student body and several teachers and staff of an elementary school. The lighting wasn't the best, as it was near mid-day with a bright, sunny sky. No matter what side of the building I photographed them, their little faces would be bright and squinty.

I was on the roof and shouted back and forth to the principal, who was on the ground with a bullhorn. The process went pretty smoothly. My main goal was to get them mostlly looking at me at one time and have the edges fairly even. Everyone was waving at me on this one, so a few kids (note the little on up front) got out of line. But that's no biggie.

Generations of adults have purported a huge disservice to photographers everywhere, and that would be instructing kids or anyone to say "cheese" while being photographed. The idea is to elicit what appears to be a smile, but few people are excited about "cheese." So the result is a really fake-looking grimace. Stop the madness!

With the photos of the students, though, "cheese" was actually helpful. I didn't tell them to say anything, but they automatically went into Cheese Zombie Picture Mode. That way I had an audible signal that I had at least the attention of most of them.

To sum up about cheese:
It's great on a pizza, not so good on a face.

Why hire a professional photographer?

It's a hard time to be a professional photographer.

So many people own their own digital cameras, from point-and-shoots to professional-grade SLRs with fancy lenses to match, why would anyone hire a professional? Heck, most of us carry around cell phones with cameras in them. They work pretty well, right? Everybody who sees the resulting images on MySpace and Facebook seem to love them, so they must be great! Anyone who uses a camera is a photographer.

Admittedly, photography isn't brain surgery. At its simplest, it is using a tool to capture an image. At its finest, it is a blending of art and science to create a special image that could be enjoyed for generations. So what's the difference and why should I care?

Here are two different scenarios:

1. Family snapshots
If you capture a photo of your kids doing something hilarious or special, it doesn't necessarily matter if they are in focus, are properly exposed or part of an artful composition. The moment is what's important, and that's why I think every parent and grandparent should have a camera they love to use. The simpler, the better. You might print out a small photo and stick it to your refrigerator, or tape it to your file cabinet at work. Every time you look at it, it makes you smile. You've e-mailed it to everyone you know and they gush about how great it is. Mission accomplished!

2. The professional portrait
But there are other times, whether as part of special events, milestones or simply because, that capturing images of family members and loved ones at a particular time is important. The art of the image matters. Its technical details matter: focus, brightness in the eyes, composition. This is an image that will hang in a prominent place on the living room wall, or will be part of a treasured photo album. This is a keeper. It will capture a moment and time that will never happen again. Not only should it be a beautiful photograph, it should also contain the emotions and spirit of the people depicted. Everyone who views the photo is taken aback, enjoying the layers of meaning, the artistry and how well it captured the people in it. Mission accomplished!

Take a look at the "creative" services listing on Craigslist. At any given time, you'll find postings promising affordability at the forefront. That doesn't mean hiring from the listings won't yield some stunning images, but it is certainly a roll of the dice. Many are posted by people who are new to photography, have recently invested in equipment and believe that it's easy to make money from their new hobby. Some of them will make money at the expense of unsatisfied clients. With wedding photography especially, where things happen once, experience and technical savvy are extremely important. I think it's crazy when some of the Craigslist ads aim to be a photographer "for your every need." Even seasoned pros specialize simply because doing it right in every discipline isn't easy and takes specialized equipment. The phrase "you get what you pay for" may not even apply when paying an amateur; you might get far less than you paid for. Don't take a chance!

Professional photography isn't about the camera; more important is the ability to produce excellent photographs in any situation, at any time, and following up that expertise with stellar customer service. Equipment does matter, and longtime professionals invest in their businesses by buying the best tools they can afford. But the tools themselves are only part of the equation; the art itself is a direct result of the artist. The service aspect sets pros apart from wannabes.

Look at other hobbies out there where equipment is seen as a way to become an expert: from fishing to golf, the latest reel or set of clubs is touted as the way to bigger catches and better scores. Better tools help us all, but it still takes skill to get the job done well consistently.

Why hire a professional photographer? I can't speak about other pros and their habits, but this is how I approach my work:

• I love my job and the people I serve.
• I know what I'm doing. I only accept assignments for which I am prepared to handle, and ensure I am prepared.
• I care about my clients' experiences with me and am not happy until my clients are happy.
• The creation of stellar images isn't a roll of the dice, but rather a direct result of study, experience, skills and ability.
• I always have backup equipment (and when necessary, backup people) to ensure clients receive excellent service.
• You get more than what you pay for.
• I'm not afraid to admit I don't know everything and embrace challenges that help me learn.

In today's economy, price often is a major factor in whether to hire a photographer and who to hire. But I hope when the images are important to you, you won't let price drive your search. If it's important to hire a pro, look for someone who can meet your needs and desires. That's what art is about!

Happy Easter!

We had an egg-decorating session and egg hunt at home on Saturday (was supposed to have storms on Easter Sunday) and it was a real blast.









My oldest son ends up in the trees on some holidays. He climbed one on Thanksgiving, too! Hope you had a Happy Easter, where the blessings that are most important to you were counted in a special way.

No wonder we never have any food

I caught my youngest son in the refrigerator recently. He can now reach the top shelf. This is not good.

Two growing boys ... I think their Mom and Dad are gonna go hungry while they eat their way to adulthood.

Customer service in tough economic times

With so many businesses competing with each other, with similar services and products, the deciding factor that sets a business apart is customer service. Excellent customer service can breed repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals, seeding success through building a strong reputation. Just as powerful, terrible customer service can cripple a business and cause it to fold under the weight of its own policies and behavior.

I don't like fast food, but it's an occasional reality – especially with kids. My oldest son wanted to eat at a place tonight famous for its roast beef. We normally buy a kids meal with a ham-and-cheese sandwich. I pull up to the speaker, order his food and am told they now only offer kids meals with jr. roast beef sandwiches or popcorn chicken. I asked when that changed, as we had bought the ham-n-cheese often without any fuss, and the voice said it happened three or four months ago. Not only is that not true, as we had one less than a month ago, but it is annoying.

Restaurants naturally shape their menus to reflect what sells. There are franchises that also modify their menus separately of company policy. When it comes to fast food, I don't think any of us expect stellar customer service. We visit a certain brand out of convenience, expecting to get what we want to eat. That means that to meet our expectations and earn our business, that's all they have to do: give us the food items we want. When that doesn't happen, as was the case today, the restaurant lost my business today and probably every time we pick that company with my son in the car. Because this is the closest one of these establishments to our house (the other one nearby burned recently), that represents quite a bit of money across the next 12 months.

Decisions have to be made to cut costs and serve a customer base as a whole. But now is not the time to cut choices for customers. Not only should choices abound, but it's an opportunity to ensure employees are trained to not only perform their jobs well, but offer customer service above and beyond.

For my photography business, I don't just take photos. A lot of people can do that. I continue to develop my style and attempt to find a niche in the community, but I strive for the best customer service possible in everything I do now. I'm not only selling the images, but selling myself. If a customer isn't happy, I'm not, either, until I've done everything I can to solve the issue. I'm working to simplify my offerings, but not constrict them. If there ever is a time, now is not it to time to limit customer choices. When you or someone you know is looking for a photographer who cares, please keep me in mind.

By the way, we ended up at another fast-food chain. They got our order wrong.