Headshots...

 I was in my bank a couple of weeks ago and the Vice-President mentioned that she was needing "Head Shots" of some of her staff., and asked me if I did them. Of course I answered to the affirmative and she asked If I could set up a studio in the bank and once again,,,,sure !! We were initially speaking of doing them next week and she would call me for the date and time of set up. I didn't get the call and I called the bank and I got  a new employee. She doesn't work here...came the reply. As it turns out she covers two bank locations and. was at the other bank when I called. We spoke today and it is set up for next month.

I gave her several options one included retouching which I highly recommend because it gives the portrait a more professional look. She agreed so I was elated. There is nothing more unprofessional than having an employees' portrait on display without retouching.  I really looking forward to this assignment as there are several branches here of that bank so this project could grow.

Last week I approached two companies that are new businesses here about their photographic needs but have heard nothing yet....it generally takes three try's to succeed. I'll keep you posted !!!

100,143 views have been made of my blog....

I was wondering if I would ever cross the 100,000 views for my blog, and amazingly enough it happened yesterday. I originally started the blog to cover the everyday workings of my studio and speak to some extent of what it takes to be a professional in a business that has become saturated with people that really want to be "professional" but lack the vision, training and expertise to be a true professional in the arena.

With the development of the digital capabilities that Kodak developed in 1983 the profession got slammed. Many established professional photographers ignored the need to adapt to the digital age and soon were having doors closed to them. Manipulation of images was now possible and from the outside of the profession looking in, the consumer market soon felt that they didn't need a "professional" because they had a digital camera. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Developing an "eye" that can see light in the way that defines space, color and shape is essential to be successful in this business. The realization that there needs to be enough profit in the billing to cover the essentials of business, the rent, processing, advertising, equipment, creative time, education, mileage, and most important of all a livable salary was really never considered by many people entering the market and  this muddied the water for a couple of years.  Over a period of about 3 years the water started to become clear again. The public started to realize that because you have a digital camera there is no guarantee a professional image will be produced. A professional photographer also needs the flexibility to change with the consumer taste in imagery. Photography is an ever changing fluid profession and the photographer must be on the leading edge or there is nothing special that he has to offers his clients. 

As I have stated many times in my blog I am perhaps the luckiest person on the face of he earth. When I opened the studio in 1972 it was something I said I would never do. I wanted to be as college professor teaching design, photography, and film. However to my surprise, I found that by having a Bachelor of Fine Art, and Master of Art degrees were a hindrance as all of the commercial contacts I spoke with said I was "overqualified". 

49 years ago, the first of this month, I opened Morgan Studio and Frame shop, at that time, an act of desperation. Of course I had only one business course in college thinking I would never need it but had to fill my schedule with something and it was available. My timing left me in the last quarter of the business year but also encompassed Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. I had missed the Senior Portrait season with the exception of Will Grey. He was my first Senior portrait photographed at Morrow Mill. My first really big job came up with the production of a brochure for Teledyne Neosho. 

Jack Manning called me from his business, Joplin Printing, and ask to meet with me as he had a project that he needed a photographer for. Rita Swanson was the designer there and she had created my logo so we were somewhat familiar with each other. Rita and I discussed the project and toured the plant with their liaison on the project. I started work on it two weeks later shooting everything with my Linholf View Camera which used 4 inch by 5 inch  sheet film. The project took a week and was the winner of several awards on Statewide and National levels. The ball started rolling....

Followers of my Blog have read about the unbelievable opportunities I have had from traveling the world on assignment, meeting political leaders, presidents of countries, seeing unbelievable damage done by Dictators, while trying to document the alleviation of water issues for forgotten barrios. I've seen beauty in all parts of the United States, Canada, and Central America, Europe, and even the Middle East. I have tried to deliver to my clients nothing but the best imagery available at a reasonable and fair price. I hope that my Blog has helped illuminate some of the assignments I have and has even helped explain why I love my job so much. 

I can't thank my viewers enough or explain how much I appreciate your reading my babbling on my blog. It has been a real joy writing it had has been an adventure I really didn't expect. Stay tuned for more to come......I'm still producing imagery and will continue to share it with you. 

THANKS AGAIN !!!

A close look .......

 We have one more that should appear today. Although this is the third of the last four we have left to "hatch" I imagine that you are tired of my butterfly journal.....however I am looking forward to next year. By being able to see the wings before it emerges tells me that the "birthing" is soon to come.

This whole project has been fun.