The Wedding...

WOW !!!! The wedding was fantastic !! The Bride was stunning and the Groom looked great. I started several hours before the wedding shooting the exterior of the family home where the Bride grew up. She was to be married on the front porch and it was perfect. Hanging baskets, the area for he string quartet, the unity candle, and a white "runway" for the Bride to walk up from the the circle drive. I was in my element. The sky was of and on overcast and there was a forecast for rain around four in the afternoon....the wedding was to be at six. I reflected on the power of positive thinking....it's not going to rain....it's not going to rain...

Through the organized chaos activity started to move in the direction of a wedding happening. The Groom, his Mom and Dad and several of his groomsmen appeared and we started to shooting. We used window light and some additional sources from my light packs for other groupings. We finished the family from brothers and grandparents, and I looked to see if the Bride was ready. She was and as I requested, she had not put on her veil. We photographed her with all of her attendants, parents and grandparents. It was fun but the clouds continued to build outside. Continued tomorrow...

The Wedding...

I have a special wedding coming up this weekend in Missouri. We're doing the whole nine yards, the rehearsal dinner and the wedding the next day. This is a special one as I have watched and photographed the bride as she has grown up. In fact she refers to me as " Uncle Mike". She is stunningly beautiful, and her soon to be husband is quite a guy. He works at St. Johns Hospital in Joplin and quite frankly was on the ground during and after the tornado that struck such pain within the community.

Her family was one of my first clients in the 70's and one of the most memorable. We worked outside and inside and in fact I have referred to them in a previous note on the blog Nine Ten Eleven. It will be a fun two days and I'm looking forward to it. Stay posted for some great imagery.

A fabulous Senior session

Yesterday I had the first of two sessions with a really great Senior. Taylor is a Senior at Jenks High School and is a member of the outstanding Jenks Football team. We shot fairly early in the morning and it went really well. Taylor is almost a natural and the "looks" he gave me were solid. The session took a couple of hours and was pretty smooth. At one of my locations I had suggested it just didn't look right, it didn't make visual sense...so we didn't take the picture. I'm of the opinion that if it doesn't look right to me than it won't get any better later. I've posted a several from the first session and there will be more to come. Great job Taylor !!!

The Aha Moment...

Last year I told you of my "Aha Moment" I recorded in the mobile studio that came through Tulsa. I would think that by now you have seen the advertising of the"Aha Moments" on the tube for Mutual of Omaha. All kinds of stories are given by people for 28 seconds concerning an "Aha" moment in their life. I just received my edited version from the Production company in California and thought I'd share it with you.Copy the following link and paste it in the address line and it ought to get you there.Enjoy.. http://ahamoment.com/moments/137

It was a good time.

Web site done........

Just finished tweeking the web site ...check it out at morganstudiointulsaoklahoma.com and let me know what you think..

Thanks,

MM

Been gone ...........

Okay...pardon the lapse in communication but for the last week I've been designing my long awaited update on my website. It's really been like pulling teeth because there was so much to learn and I'm pretty picky-I knew the "look" I wanted. I'm pretty much there but I have are changes I need to make in several of the screens, primarily in additional images I wish to show. It seemed like every time I turned around there was something to tweek........then I had to find out how to do it. It was fun but a very steep learning curve. It will take 48 hours for it to get posted AROUND THE WORLD......who'd a thunk.....but when it's up I'll send out a blanket note.

Never say never continued..........

We partied on the L1011 all the way back to K.C. and it was a ball. Although we didn't see the launch, we had been there and that is something I'll always remember. A year or two later I was asked to be part of a three person Show to generate funds for the Methodist Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida and I jumped at the chance. The show was to be up for a week with a black tie opening on the first night. It was held on the top floor of the Hospital that was totally glass walled. Pretty snazzy......

I drove down in my restored 1951 Chevy Panel truck....the Video Van...it had a lot of room. I spent my first day in Jacksonville setting up the show and pricing all of the work. I had large prints, small prints, color and black and white. It was a pretty good representation of what my "personal" work was all about. What was really surprising is that I sold out ! I would have NEVER thought that would happen. On the second or third day I had read in the paper that there was to be a Shuttle launch that day. Only because the sun comes up in the East did I realize the direction to look. I was on the top floor of the hospital in the gallery looking toward Cape Canaveral when a rocket seemed to jump above the trees in the distance and streak toward the sky. This machine didn't rise as I had ever seen one rise on television. Because the cameras would focus on the rocket almost exclusively the viewer is robbed of the actual speed of the climb. That rocket was makin' hay. I have never seen anything move so fast. My vantage point on the top floor, gave me a crystal clear view of the rocket until it disappeared into space.

There are images I'll never forget, some of people, places, and events dear to my heart. I don't think I'll ever forget that mental picture of a leap into Space......as we said in the 60's,
"Farm Trout".

We have a problem..........

"We have a problem" came firmly from the speakers set throughout the area. Other than the screeching of the gulls that were flying around, you could hear a pin drop. I really don't remember what the problem was but I do remember my mind racing options of staying overnight again, hiding in the bushes till morning, ( I think that could have had Federal Implications ) or waiting to see what the final deal was. The mission was to be "scrubbed", put off a day or two to fix what ever was not right. We gathered as a group and were boarded onto buses and taken to the airport.
Once we got on the Plane and in the air the pilot announced that although we didn't see the launch in person, we were going to party ! The stewardesses paraded down the isle in t-shirts proclaiming that "I saw the launch of Americas First Space Shuttle" accompanied with full trays of drinks. LET'S PARTY !!! was the given command, and we did. It was a fun but disappointing flight back to K.C. We didn't see it blast off......I knew I'd never have that chance again. I've heard that you should never say never........( to be continued )

The Launch.....

Looking back, it was such an unbelievable time. Half a mile away was Americas crown jewel of our space program poised for launch. The sun had come up and birds were flying through an unmolested sky, no clue that they had the front row seat to history just like the rest of us. It was kind of like waiting for your magic decoder ring that was to come in the mail. I really wanted to see a rocket BLAST OFF !! There was a huge digital readout of the countdown flashing in the viewing area and we could hear the conversation between the Astronauts and Mission Control as they went through the pre-launch check out. Key system 7 ....Check...etc. I felt the buzz of the moment and I can remember thinking how unbelievable it was that I was there, how could I have been so lucky, and never would I have ever assumed that being that close was even possible. We were all such optimists. If the rocket had blown on the pad I really feel as though it would have not been pleasant for any of us. Until you see it in "real life" you have no concept of the size. It was just an amazing marvel of construction and ingenuity.

As the morning progressed there were a couple of delays with a switch or relay acting up and the digital clock would pause until the repair or glitch was repaired. Then the numbers would start moving. The crowd was really like a bunch of people relaxing at a picnic. Some in shorts, some in long pants, and it seemed everyone had a black NASA ball cap. I guess that made us "official". The countdown proceeded and it seemed that more glitches started appearing. NASA can fix them.....they can do anything. The launch vehicle was being fueled and the vapors bleeding off sending a white cloud from the hoses. Excitement was building. Of course we had no idea how long it took to get everything ready......the schedule seemed to be progressing. Conversations between Mission control and the Shuttle were continuing....then a longer than normal silence. It was starting to get hot and clouds were coming in. It was quiet. The clock was stopped, we were standing around, grouped in clusters talking, or laying on the ground. The speaker cracked with the voice on Mission Control....... ( To be continued.)

End of an amazing era...

I was in my office this morning and looked on my wall and noticed some things that I really hadn't paid much attention to lately. It's rather remarkable that I had "forgotten" about them with the latest news and headlines concerning the Space Shuttles' last voyage. I've noted in previous blogs that I've been extremely lucky in life both through the friendships I've made and events I've witnessed or been a part of. In 1980 one of my friends and the owner of one of my commercial accounts, Art Swenson, alerted me about a fund raiser the Kansas City Philharmonic was having. One of the movers and shakers in K.C. had come up with the idea of filling an L 1011 airplane with passengers to fly to Orlando the day before the first launch of the Columbia, Americas first Space Shuttle, and witness history in the making. The plan was to fly from K.C. to Orlando, check into Disney World, relax, have a social hour, dinner with a talk about the space program, and then be turned loose on the park for a night of having fun. We were cautioned however, to get to bed early as the wake up call would be at three am and we would depart Disney for Cape Canaveral an hour later. They would wait for no one.

As a kid I had been mesmerized by flying, rockets, and the Space program, starting with the hearing the testing of rocket engines at "Rocketdyne Industries" which was several miles from a Boy Scout camp I attended in the summer. We could hear the roar of the thrust of the engines during the tests and my imagination conjured up images of men in space suits conducting the tests with clipboards and some kind of thruster packs on their back. It was SPACE......RIGHT !! Suddenly I was in Florida, about to witness the launch of Americas' first Space Shuttle.....how could this be. I couldn't sleep.

We left Disney World at four as promised, but what style. We consisted of a motorcade of Limos, lead by a pair of Highway Patrol cars in front of us, using both lanes heading for the Cape. Obviously someone had really thought this out because as we drew nearer to Cape Kennedy and the launch site, the traffic slowed and then stopped. This was a California style traffic jam. The Patrol cars did the only thing they could to keep us moving. The entire motorcade switched onto the other side of the four lane, the lanes coming FROM Kennedy, where there was absolutely NO traffic, and we sailed onto the site.

Daylight was breaking and we were let out of the Limos, and gathered in the Launch Vehicle Staging area. We got a tour of the facility and then were escorted to the V.I.P section about a half mile from the launch pad. In the short distance the Columbia was poised pointed to the sky.

( to be continued )

Put the "Dancing Shoes" on !!!

Over the years I have pursued different types of clients, primarily because it looked like the assignments could be fun. I have been fortunate however to have clients come to me with some really great projects. One of the ones I always look forward to are the dance studios. It seems that most young girls love the theater of "Dance". The costuming, 'Ballerina Imagery", and the excitement of presentation, all roll up into a girls dream, sometimes leading up to a career in performance, teaching, or a refined appreciation for the "media". If you have not been to a dance recital you owe it to yourself to see one. Generally the youngest come on with the first routine, then the next age group, then combinations of ages then the grand finale. There are multiple clothing changes and groupings it is really fun.

When I am engaged to photograph a Dance Troupe, I like to complete the photography a week or so before the actual dance recital which comes at the end of a season of classes. This way the dancers can receive their portraits on the afternoon or night of the recital. The age ranges from very young to teenagers and young adults. I've found that in the youngest performers I generally get some fabulous expressions. I have found that it works well to set up a "studio" at the Dance School location as everyone knows it's location and it is familiar to the young dancers. Starting in the morning we photograph individuals and groups and the event can last most of the day. I have a wide array of packaging that allows a great selection to choose from. I've included some images from my last shoot.

Great Sounds........

I'm back from the F.I.G.A. gathering in Oklahoma City that occurred this past weekend. I had a great time and heard some absolutely amazing playing. This association encompasses fretted string instruments. This covers a lot of territory. Guitars, banjos, mandolines, fiddles, anything that is strung can be included. I was impressed that perhaps more importantly than the older crowd of musicians getting together, the up and coming kids were astonishing in style, talent, but also numbers. There was a group from Texas that numbers in the hundreds.

Throughout the Sheraton puck up groups would get together and Jam, all ages invited. It was just great. The levels of accomplishment ran the spectrum from beginning to professional. Several of the kids had started on the guitar but transitioned to banjo and have prospered.

One gentleman that I spoke with at length, pulled out his case and opened it to show me his violin. His father presented the violin to him, after making it for him as a 9th birthday present in 1944. Talk about a treasure. Stories like that make you glad to be alive and know that there are special people around that can do almost anything.

The American Banjo Museum in Oklahoma City was one of the sponsors of the event which was just a couple of blocks from the Sheraton. What a display of instruments. The detail in some of the backs, sides, and necks of the instruments in the Museum is incredible. The displays cover not only the instruments themselves but also the history of the banjo. After being surrounded by the pickers, players, and great people.....I want to be able to play a banjo.

Dueling Banjos...

Starting tomorrow I will be in Oklahoma City at the National Four String Banjo Hall of Fame,(aka American Banjo Museum)documenting the event and producing Professional portraits of some of Americas finest Banjo players. It should be a ball of fun. Musicians and fans from all over the world attend the event and it will be centered around the Museum. Saturday afternoon a stage will be filled with players directly across the street from the museum and music will be flowing from different areas through the featuring not only Banjos, but also Ukuleles, Mandolins, and Guitars. Yeeee Haaaawwwwwww..I can't wait. Images soon to follow so look for the notice soon.Banjos - Ukuleles - Mandolins - Guitars

The Broken Arrow Color Guard Summer Dance Theatre

As I mentioned in my previous blog I had photographed the Summer Production of the Broken Arrow Color Guard Dance production. It was a production !!!! I was totally blown away from all aspects. The style, movements, color, intensity, and flair was just outstanding. I could rattle on like this endlessly, but instead I'll just post a couple of images from the production. I'll NEVER miss this again.

Adam, A Broken Arrow Junior

Adam is one of the members of the Broken Arrow Pride Band, a very prestigious position to hold. The Band is outstanding in every area of competition, both Nationally and within the Midwest region. Their marching style is unequalled and the Broken Arrow Color Guard, who work in tandem with the Band, are are equally creative. Adam is a member of that also having participated in the Summer Dance Theatre. The Dance Theater was a complete surprise to me as I was thinking it would be similar to other productions I had seen through the years in Missouri. WOW !! was I ever wrong.

I have never seen a production so expressive and professional in scripting, music, production and style. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The ideology of the scripting, style of dancing, and set design was far superior to any production I have ever seen.I would put it on even keel with the production of "Phantom of the Opera" that I saw in Chicago in the early 90's. It was just blown away and impressed. I'll get some images of that on the Blog tomorrow. Back to Adam.

We spent some session time yesterday photographing for his "Chrome" book. It amounts to 20 pages with Adam and his car and horns. It was a great shoot and we got some exceptional images.

Exciting stuff..........

I have just completed a session with a client that is a Junior at Broken Arrow High. The session went well and we have some really great images and I think he will be very happy with them. I'm doing some new things with the images and be sure to come back to see the results.

Great NEWS !! Speak !! Speak !!

I was notified last week that I have been accepted by Millers Digital Imaging as a Speaker within their Speakers Team. This means that they will sponsor me on the Professional Photography Speakers Circuit which furnishes knowledgeable "talent" to give programs to Photographic Guilds, State Associations, and the National organizations such as the Professional Photographers of America, Wedding Photographers International, and other groups in other countries. Acceptance within this speaking group is difficult to attain and it is an extreme honor to be included with this group of photographic professionals. This is going to be fun !!!

Hot Wheels

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing an old favorite of mine. As I was approaching 16 and my drivers license I was heart struck on the Shelby Mustang, especially the fastback. I loved the lines of the car and it instantly developed the following one would expect from a production "racecar".....a "must have" machine. I could see myself hooking it up with a Corvette and running stop light to stop light or down the quarter mile track at Mo Kan. Of course I would always win. Tony Kassab in Joplin owned a "67" or "68" that was a 500, meaning it had a 427 motor in it, and when I saw the car on the street I couldn't take my eyes off of it.

The most amazing part of my job is the realization that I have been able to connect with visions from my youth in reality and I've always enjoyed it. Meeting people I've admired, being in situations where I would get to associate with someone that has done remarkable things in their life. The ability to be in creative situations when products are being machined, designed, or rebuilt has always been fun.

As I have mentioned in previous blogs I like to pre-visualize my images. Sometimes they just don't work out. I had, in my minds eye, the Mustang resting in front of a French fighter Jet I had located. This jet was of the same era as the Mustang and was totally chrome. It had a "V" tail and engines located on the sides of the plane. Kinda Buck Rogers. Driving into the airport, in my favorite light of early evening, we passed a row of Hangers which really tripped my trigger. Arriving at the jet I looked at the light, the plane, and the car, and realized that I couldn't get what I was looking for. Nothing seemed to make sense around the plane. I slammed out some shots and knew I was in the wrong location. We shut down the shoot and went back to the other area I saw coming in.

We placed the car and I started to shoot. It was a piece of cake. The light was right, background was complimentary to the the car, and I was on a roll. Wow !! Did I have FUN !!!

I'm BACK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Alaska is an amazing place.....it takes a while to really let the whole thing settle into your mind. The scenery was outstanding, food fabulous, and the trip very memorable from a whole menu of experiences. I hope not to bore you but over the next day or two I'll briefly let you in on a couple of notations I made while traveling. We left from Seattle on the biggest boat I'd ever sailed on. I had been on another cruise from Holland America but it as in the Southern Hemisphere.

I hadn't considered it until our first night, but we were at the same or approximate latitude as Paris...........the sun didn't set till 9:30 or 10:00. It just wears you out....
It took several days, but I did adjust. The water was a Turquoise like I've never seen. Of all of the paintings I've seen of schooners plying the waves in the Pacific Northwest I was always skeptical of the colorations of the water, but the paintings were right on the spot. Combine the wake of the boat with the color of the sea and the brush just fills with color. I found myself staring at the wake almost mesmerized in the patterns that the hull generated. Cheap thrills....

Whenever I travel I have a tendency to meet one or two people that I chum around with. I enjoy people and you never know where life's road is going to send us. Had I not met Byron in the 70's I would have missed out on being involved in the Iraqi hostage adventure in the early 90's. I'm generally open to meeting new people because of such experiences. As I was photographing some coastline I was standing next to a guy that also had a Nikon and we started talking photography.
His camera was the same model I recommended to my nephew and also had the same lens. We hit it off pretty well and covered several topics and decided we would team up on the photographic safari the cruise line offered. I really feel as though the "safari" would have been a complete letdown if he and I didn't walk, talk, and shoot together. He said his wife couldn't figure why he shot some of the images he did.....and I can understand that. As we walked and talked I was constantly shooting it seemed.

When I get into a 'new" area I just "see" so much. My senses seem to become more attuned to where I am and more attuned to EVERYTHING around me. I guess there is an innate talent (????)
I have, that trips my trigger when I start looking for color, shape, texture, design, and light, in combinations of all of the above. Take a step, shoot, repeat....I started to notice after about thirty minutes or so....where'd the time go...that he and I were separated from the group and having one hell of a good time shooting the area around us. We talked of where we were, why I shot what I did, "color field" is a very interesting area for me, and how I picked out the shapes. The shapes and color present themselves to me. I generally don't tell people that but that is how it happens.

To be continued....

Getting ready for Alaska

Very wild week ahead. Got the studio office moved Sunday before last and still working out of boxes. We're leaving for Alaska and Vancouver B.C. Thursday and a mountain of stuff to finish before we go. I finished up shooting still and video images for the reenactment of the "Battle of Carthage" that took place 150 years ago just prior to the War between the States. It was a great time. I went to a camp site on Friday night with the idea of capturing a scene that would open the presentation but after being there shooting early Saturday morning and afternoon my options greatly expanded. The battle in Central Park was really great action with the cannons, smoke, horses, and noise. I remember the first reenactment in 1961, the 100 year anniversary, really didn't think about being around for the 150th. What life has in store for us that we never expect....

The Move.......

It's over !! The move was successfully completed last Sunday and now I'm trying to organize my office. Wow....the amount of files I've built up is truly amazing. The filing of them has always been a challenge because of the varied nature of the images. There can be several different subjects on a disk from different locations, with several different uses. However I got them under control by filing each image and cross referencing the subject as to use, color, subject, and date.

This morning I spent some really quality time at the Tulsa Metro Chamber of Commerce breakfast. It was a great bunch of business people from Tulsa and the surrounding area gathering together to connect and prosper. One of the BEST moves I've made since arriving in Tulsa. It is almost as good as relocating my office and studio.

I'm leaving next week to go to Alaska and Vancouver B.C. and will be out of pocket while gone. Be ready for some exciting imagery when I return. Approximately a week or so after that, IMAGES OF THE NEW STUDIO !! It's huge and offers my clients so many more options than I had in the old location.

THE NEWS !!!

As promised in my last blog entry, I have some real news to forward to my clients and friends. Business has taken off and I have found that I need more studio space for larger families, senior portraits, and commercial photography. I am in the process of leasing a much larger studio, 8000 square feet, that will give me a larger seamless wall than what I have, a freight elevator to transport commercial products and clients to the studio area, and available light areas that are much larger than where I presently am. It is a move that I am excited about and the area is so unbelievable that I will post images of it the first part of June. I would post images now but I need to move out of the space where I presently am. I'm leaving the last part of this month to go to Alaska and Vancouver BC to photograph. I'll be back after the first week in June and I'll keep you posted with new studio and interior shots then.

More Commercial work....

I have just completed a fun job for an old account of mine in Missouri. Coachlight RV is one of the top 10 RV Dealerships in the United States and I've done photography for them for over a decade. Marty Lown, the owner, and I got together last weekend and discussed his new marketing piece and the imagery he needed. I worked on "capture" of the images last Saturday and the first of the week fine tuning them for delivery to the printer and layout. The shoot involved some architectural photography of the interiors of his shop bays and exteriors of the buildings, interiors of the showrooms, and of course the campgrounds and club he has on site for the campers that overnight at the property. It was a grey day which is perfect for photographing RV's and the sky cleaned up well. I sure love my job !!

Amazing NEWS coming Next Wednesday !!

Next Wednesday, May 4th I will announce several pieces of news that I will be very happy to let you in on. Morgan Studio is going to SURPRISE you....Please be sure to Check back on Wednesday.

My Carthage video from the late "90's"

This video was produced for the Chamber of Commerce in Carthage Missouri in the late "90's" to generate interest in Carthage, Missouri as a Destination Location that was friendly, fun, and vibrant. It was selected to be viewed by all of the attendees of the Annual National Conference of Chamber of Commerces from throughout the United States in Orlando Florida.

Interesting approach for an image..

Technology is such a fabulous addition to my profession. Granted it has upsides and downsides on virtually every issue that comes up, but overall it has been an enhancement. Last week I delivered the previews to the preschool and they were very well received. I presented them on portfolio sheets, in color, cropped, and looking like finished prints. In fact, the previews may be purchased after the purchase of a minimum order. The looked really great.

Two sisters were photographed together and I've had some fun with the images exploring possibilities. The image of them with the peddle car is made to be produced in notecards for the Family. Wouldn't that be great for Mom to have. This image can also be made into framable prints for the Family, and relatives. I think it is a very interesting approach in offering the unexpected.

Union HBM Model BFT-100

The Carthage Missouri Video.

This video was written and produced my me in the late 90's to market Carthage. It took a year to produce as all of the seasons needed to be in the production. Carthage is an amazing city with potential to be a VERY unique tourist destination. The Victorian flare, the friendly population, the unique stores and events, are calling out to be seen by the rest of America. I would like to produce an update and generate more interest in the town.

I had this copied from a VHS and it is NOT HD as any update would be. This was the high end on technology at the time. Don Decker narrated the presentation and Sam Platt handled the production on the sound in his studio. Joe Leiter, another amazing Carthagenian, played the guitar. On the tail end of the production the narration takes a hit for some unknown reason on this copy. It should have trailed off into silence.  I hope you enjoy it.

A VERY successful shoot...

Last week I spent my time photographing a preschool and their families. What a great time! We ran with mini-sessions, shooting until I felt comfortable with the images I had, and then editing them for my clients. We are offering several different treatments and styles to the images. I have included one with this post. We will be doing more of these soon. I love this style of working and it allows me to book more sessions with new clients.

A fun shoot...

I got a call day before yesterday from client I have had for years on the Industrial side of the fence. I have produced images for him for years, generally of manufactureing goods used in the production of oil and gas. He had a client in Texas that wanted to buy a milling machine for use in his company. Two issues appeared that needed to be solved.

1. The client was in Texas and was very busy and couldn't get to Tulsa to see the machine.
2. The machine had to be moved, no later than today if possible.

I got the call Wednesday afternoon asking if I could deliver a video to the client via the net so he could see the machine operate and HEAR it run. By hearing the sound of the machine the client could judge it's status. I took the job.

We arrived at the shop housing the machine and I set up for the shoot after asking questions about the machine and it's capabilities. With that covered we started. Finishing around 11:00 my client and I went to the studio for the editing. The editing process took about 2-3 hours and we prepared it for the net which takes time as you must compress the files. We went to lunch while the computer worked. Returning I downloaded it through another process and the video was viewed in Texas BEFORE the machine was moved.

I added no soundtrack or narration as it was unnecessary and would take time. The only sound that was needed was the sound of the Machine. My client has 4 or 5 more machines he needs to have done....I love my job.

To watch the video click the Union HBM on the right of the page.

The exterior...from 5th....

This is the exterior of the building looking into the camera room of the studio...

Studio Update !!

I have had a tremendous amount of interest in the "look" of the studio interior. I have assumed that this means all of it from the reception room, to the studio, and my office. Well ....Here it is. It was a lot of fun putting it all together.

NEW SPACE !!!!

I viewed new space yesterday that I will have access to for my clients. It consists of 8000 square feet of studio space with any kind of lighting I need. I will be producing still images as well as video segments of some projects that I have had on the books waiting for this location. This additional studio space will enhance my existing studio and give me AND my clients many more options than I had before.

I AM EXCITED !!!  Images to follow soon.

SPRING !!!!

Being eternally optimistic SPRING IS AROUND THE CORNER !!!! The sun is shining, business is coming in and I'm ramping up for a special that we will run at the end of the month. Creating reasons for business to cross through our threshold is the most fun challenge of the business climate for me. I love my job as I have repeatedly stated, but it can only work if I can get clients through the door.

Specials such as the "Mini Session" are good and lead to future business with Senior portraits, Family portraits, and even some commercial work for companies. I work with church's, preschools, ball teams, you name it and I can come up with a "special". When in Carthage I photographed the Proms and Homecomings for years for Carthage and other surrounding schools. It was more work than you could imagine simply because I threw myself into the project. All of the backgrounds were wide enough, 16 feet, tall enough, 12 feet, and had a long enough "floor", generally 30 feet, to photograph couples and groups of friends up to 20 in number and not have to make them look liked they were stacked upon each other. Because each dance had a "special " theme I was constantly reinventing the wheel to give them something that was unique to the occasion. It would take a total of three days to construct the backgrounds and a day to place them and do the finish work on location. It was great fun.

The Jr. Sr. Proms were the most stylish and the backgrounds were of a more subtle and subdued color arrangement. The most important subjects of the photograph, the couple or couples, had to shine. And they always did. I'll go through my files and get some backgrounds scanned and let you see what I'm talking about. As an added note, on the dance night I would never get to rest....the lines were always there. What fun.

As a P.S. to the story, to make the evening more enjoyable for my clients, many of whom I had produced their Senior Portraits for, and to get a little bit more control of the background construction, I decided to photograph my clients at my studio instead of the school. We took reservations, increased our bottom line, and made the evening fabulous for our clients.

Nicaragua Water

I thought I'd share the Rotary video with you all that I produced about 5 years ago. Actually....I just found out how to download it. Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....

Downtown Tulsa Nicaraguan Water Project

Nine, Ten, Eleven...

Numbers are so neat ! I have booked a Wedding for September 9th, 2011...9/10/11. How cool is that !
What's really fabulous about the booking is that I have watched this lady grow up through the years. I first photographed her when she was a small child of about 6. She has three siblings and through the years of Family and Senior Portraits, we have traveled memory lane from crossroad to crossroad and now, to her Wedding.

The first session was VERY memorable for several reasons. We started outside as a family. grouped in a pastoral setting with an old split log fence, casually dressed. As we progressed the kids were having a great time and we were producing some terrific images. As previously decided, we returned to the studio to do some indoor portraits. I'm going to have to get the negative scanned to show you the image, but the last shot is Priceless ! All four kids are dressed to the nines, looking like they fell out of the  Vogue "Children's Issue", and I took the last shot.

A lot can happen in milliseconds......At light speed, as I pressed the shutter release, as the mirror and shutter rose up and started to close.....the thought waves of four small children, brothers and sisters, bounced between them. Lindsey to Rachel......"It's not fun anymore", Rachel to Michael, "We're not happy, Michael to Alex, "Lets raise HELL".......One, Two, Three, shutter and mirror do their thing and capture the immortal portrait.....called .........."WAAAAAAAAAA !!!  ALL FOUR KIDS START SCREAMING AT THE TOP OF THEIR LUNGS !!!!! The session came to a close.

Their parents bought several images from that session, The Family group by the fence became a 30 x 40 "Pure Platinum" canvas print, and the Studio image, 2 - 11 x 14, "Diamonds, Rubies, and All That Jazz" Portraits,  one before and one after................ I have a great profession....

The Wedding Season !!

The Wedding Season is upon us..........at least the booking part of it. Having been in the business as long as I have,  you might think that 38 years would make my life somewhat boring within the Wedding scope. Nothing could be further from the truth. I have found that ALL Weddings are unique and challenging from several different standpoints. There are the wishes of the Bride and Groom, the locations, the "style" and "attitude of the affair, the time, and of course the season. Something that is NEVER talked about is the attitude and style of the photographer, unless everything went south and the photographs are not what the Bride and Groom had in mind.

Something as imperative as having the "right" Wedding photographer is so often over looked. Making the right choice can be perplexing to say the least. However, I've found that generally key words such as "Photojournalistic style", " Unlimited images ", and "you get the disks, raise a RED flag, and makes me want to question several issues, and wonder WHY. I'll explain.

I quite honestly don't know the number of Weddings I've photographed, too many to count, and they have been all over the U.S. and Canada. I have been somewhat limited in terms of numbers due to the fact that there is only ONE me, and I will never book more than one Wedding/Wedding event ( Dinner ) per day. I have NEVER given one of my Weddings to someone else to shoot. It's not fair or, in my mind, ethical to do so. "Morgan Studio" is Michael S. Morgan and that is all there is to it. I can't train someone to see, feel, or be as knowledgeable as I am with in the field. Please don't assume I'm patting myself on the back....I have had my share of challenges at Weddings. No show grooms ( once ), Bridal Party partying too much the night before ( generally the Guys ), Forgotten Tuxes, misdirections to Bridal Party personnel, the usual in my profession, but I always remember...I'm hired to produce the most Fabulous Album of the event possible.

Granted the "Candid" images are great, but the most sought after are the "formal" Family images. Families get together for Weddings and Funerals....I produce Wedding albums with great Family portraits. Sure, the usual, at the Alter....but the loved portraits, Mom, Dad and Family sharing the day with their Son, Daughter, and other family members. Relaxed, together, and individually, the family looks great. It's NOT "Photojournalist", there are no intrusions in the background, no surprises.

The day belongs to the Bride and Groom, Unlimited Images" is a red flag as I see someone racing around like the guy in the Nikon ad saying "Booya"with some snapshots that are of questional value in real life. REMEMBER......on TV ANYONE can be a photographer. The number of portraits I capture depends upon the Bridal Party size, Family sizes, the location options, time of day, and wishes of the couple. I will never pass up on an opportunity to capture an image, but I'm not in it for the numbers.

If a photographer is giving away his images on a disk, he must not care anything about them. The corner store with a photo department is NOT a color lab. I use the best Lab in the U.S. and have since I opened in 1972.  They ARE the leading edge in the processing market and offer services to me that I can pass on to in a finished product that you cannot get from them. They work only for the Professional side. Disks of images are not available from us.

Looking at my appointment book, I see that if all goes as it is, it will be a great Wedding year for us.
I have more to talk about concerning our Weddings, I'll return to the Blog later....I have a Wedding consultation in ten minutes.

The Iron Horses

The past does return in most cases. When I was a kid...a few days ago..one of my instructors in High School, Howard South, (aka Howie ) told me of a gathering of old steam driven tractors that were hidden in the woods in an area south of Carthage. Evidently a man was told by the government that they wanted his steam engines to melt down for their metal for the war effort in the early forties. It must have been a case of back taxes or something, who knows. The bottom line was that he didn't give them to the "Government Boys", as he hid them in the woods where I saw them. It was an amazing sight ! There must have been 75 or so spread out through the woods and in the valleys, standing guard over each other. They were all rusting, trees growing up through the spokes of the wheels, parked in an undetermined pattern. As we walked through the fields every turn had a monolith to steel, all of a different size. The brands were World, and Globe. Each one had a pipe coming out of the boiler that either had, or was missing, a whistle. Some still had the covers on the front that listed the company that made it, and some didn't. Those missing were probably used to fix another one. At that time I was the photographer for the the yearbook in school and I took the picture that is to the right. In it are three of my best friends, Eddie Mansfield, Jim Kingsbury and his brother Tom, and my brother Hoop. Obviously in the fall, probably in 1967.

Snow.....

O.K.  UNCLE !!!!!! Had enough !!!!!!!!!!!

We had over 19 inches of snow last week in two different storms...13 and 6 1/2. Down to 11 degrees below ZERO !!! WITHOUT THE WINDCHILL !!!!

The ONLY redeeming factors..
1. We live in Oklahoma...weather changes.
2. Nowata..( No water to non Okies ) had 33 below, setting a statewide low temp record.
3. It is forecast to be 72 this next Wednesday.
4. We needed the water.
5. Finally got out of the House.
6. Netflicks proved it worth.
7. Had time to do my taxes.

Most IMPORTANT !!

Put together specials for all of next year for my Clients !!

Drop me an email to get on my list for the special notices.

mspeermorgan@netscape.net

Life is fun again...!!!

Early History

Mickey was a hot rodder from the start. When he was 15 he started racing on El Mirage. He had a buddy drive his Model A to the dry lake and Mickey drove it to 79 miles per hour on his first trip. The future was cast and Mickey became known as the kid that had the fastest car in high school. In 1958 he was going to a sanctioned drag race with a twin engined dragster and stopped by the Salt Flats at Bonneville. He took it to 294 miles per hour, setting a record that was 25 miles an hour faster than anyone else and took 25 years to break. It is said that it was then that he decided it was time to go for the land speed record.

Mickey drew out the design of the frame of " the Challenger" on the floor of his his garage and started to build. He was working one evening and a man approached him asking him what he was doing. "I 'm building the car that will break the land speed record." he replied. The man asked him what engine he was going to use and Mickey replied that he wasn't sure, but he'd need four of them. The man was Bunkie Knudsen from Pontiac and they furnished the engines. In 1959, Mickey took Challenger 1 to a two way average of 345.33 miles an hour, setting four speed records.

He returned to his garage and redesigned the car adding scoops to funnel more air into the engines, and returned to Bonneville. On September 9th 1960 Mickey drove the redesigned Challenger  406.60 miles per hour to become the fastest person in the world.

To be continued...

FAST !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Over the last two weeks I've been in California and I'd like to tell you about the most fabulous four days of the trip. Growing up I was always interested in cars and had a few heros that drove them. Don Garlits, Jim Hall, Don Prudomme, Carroll Shelby, and Mickey Thompson. After Karen and I got married I found out that Mickey Thompson and his sister Collene were first cousins of hers. I couldn't believe it. Four of the days we spent in California were with Collene and her husband Gary. We had a fantastic time. Karen and Gary spent their time doing geneology and Collene and I talked of cars, speed records, and Mickey.

I had the mistaken belief that Mickey was a mechanic that put together his cars with all kinds of corporate backing and had an education from some school or corporation dealing with automotive tech. Was I ever wrong.

Mickey didn't particularly like school, in fact, struggled to get through it. When he was eight or so his family went to Yellowstone and made a brief stop in Bonneville at the salt flats. That was when the seed was planted that he could go fast. From that time on no machine was safe. Mickey took apart engines, motors, anything he could get his hands on and tried to figure out how to improve them. After high school he went to work for the L.A. Times as a pressman which required a considerable amount of mechanical knowledge. He also continued to build hot rods, a passion he developed in high school. High Boys, and what would now be looked upon as "Vintage Old School" cars. Years earlier, shortly after the trip to "the flats" he told his Dad, Marion who was the Chief of Police for Alhambra California, that he was going to break the Land Speed Record for cars. Marion asked him to describe the car and Mickey explained it to him. Marion then put the idea into reality by carving a wooden model of Micky's description as shown to the right. A true vision of a historical Motoring legend. ( to be continued )

Referencing LIGHT !!....

Yesterday and today I've been in class concerning new software to increase the efficiency of my working time on images. It is amazing what changes have occurred in software in just the last year. I am shooting with the premier camera Nikon offers, the D3, and when shooting in the RAW format my ability to capture the perfect exposure is enhanced. Proper exposure is the key, but there are times when that exposure is affected by outside forces. Ambient light is of course the "fill" and the trick is to find the "main" in your image capture area. It is almost inevitable that some tweeking will need to be done. Seeing the light and understanding its' properties is the basic starting point.

I find it remarkable that many of the "New Photographers" have no clue as to the proper use of and reasoning for the light patterns that have been in the artists mind since the 1300's. These "patterns " define the planes of the face and give it structure, mood, and style. Until you can "see the light" a photographer is fighting an up hill battle. It really hit me like a ton of bricks when I first saw, and understood, light. As I have always said, photography is an exercise in solving problems. Knowing light, how it reacts to facial planes, its' seasonal color temperature, and how it is affected by it's surroundings is always a problem to be solved. I love my job !!!!

2010 is almost history...............

When I was a kid growing up I thought that by 2011 I'd be flying around via a jet-belt, we'd be living on Mars, and cars would be propelled by by anti gravitational devices. I guess there was a bit too much comic book reading in my youth. However in 2011 we are going to have a great year. I have some specials planned for almost every month that will allow you to capture the flavor of your family for today and future generations.

I may seem to be making too much of a big deal of photographic family history, but my family has been fortunate enough to come across portraits of Mom and Dads' parents in recent years that we didn't know existed. My Dads' father passed away when Dad was young, and my siblings and I never knew him or our grandmother, on Dads' side. We were cleaning out an old desk and from under one of the drawers a picture dropped out. It was a picture of a man with a stringer of fish, a cane pole, wearing work pants, high top work boots, and a smile on his face. It was my fathers' father when he was about 25-30. The resemblance was as remarkable as the pictures we have of my father when he was a young child. My brother and Dad could have been twins.......about 25 years apart. If someone had not taken those pictures when they did, a part of our family history would have never been known.

One of my favorite pictures of Moms' father was taken in Canada and he's holding a large Muskie fish. He has on the style of pants that were the "item" to be wearing outdoors in Canada at the time, the flared "Mountie " style of pants. He's got on a vest and jacket....proper attire for the fisherman...a great document of the times.

With the specials we will be running this year, opportunity will be yours to own what now may seem to be just portraits. These images though will be the ones that become the priceless points of family history. Please email me at mspeermorgan@netscape.net to be placed on our mailing list of clients to get first notification of these specials. Generally the specials will only last one weekend at a time, so by the time you will probably hear about it from a friend, it will probably be too late to take part in it. Please put "Mailing List" in the subject line.

Have a great New Year, 2011 is going to be fabulous !!!

The year in review...

What a great year it has been ! Since getting the studio up and running at the end of May I have been steadily busier and busier. I must admit that I had forgotten how slow a new business is to get running, but I must have learned something. It seems like every turn had a bright light associated with it from the interview with the "Ah Hah" people from Mutual of Omaha, to the present with projects that are still unfolding. I can't tell you how excited I am at some of the specials I'm formulating for the new year 2011.

Portraits are the most amazing gifts that can be given. They solidify moments and occasions that are meaningful, can be reviewed and seen by individuals at a later time in their lives, and seen by relatives they will never know. I know in my family for instance, my brother looked exactly like our father as a young boy, as did his son. My sisters kids were also in the same boat. They were look a likes for their Dad. None of these comparisons could be made without the time being taken in the present, to save for the future.

The specials I will be running in 2011 will allow the "savings accounts" to start. I guess they are sort of like an annuity.......they just keep on growing in value. If you know of anyone that would like to start receiving email special alerts please feel free to have them email me to get on the "list".

Have an outstanding New Year !!

It's almost over.....

This has been a great Christmas season for the new studio. I have opened new markets and am preparing for the January and Spring specials as we speak. I have a couple of more orders to come in tomorrow or Friday but for the most part, order delivery is coming to a close. I have booked a couple of sessions over the holiday which is something that goes with the territory. I work when families can get together.

Looking at our family for instance, my Mom is in Kansas City, Brother in North Carolina, and sister will be in Nashville. This is the first time in 60 years we haven't been together. I find it amazing that we have been able to hold it together for that long. But as Dylan says, "Times are a changing." The memories of Christmas's past surface every now and then when all of the pictures were square Black and White 3 x 3's. Kids in footed sleepers, a real tree, presents, torn wrapping paper, and young parents. The times have changed and rolled on. If nothing else I feel as though the holiday is a time to reconnect with old friends and just say "Hi, how've ya been?" I think that will be my present to me.....wish old friends well.

Have a Merry Christmas !

Christmas RUSH !!!!!

You know I just don't know how Santa does it. We have had so many orders come in for the Christmas season that I seem to be on the computer constantly placing the orders for my Clients. However I must say that by using the finest lab in the US makes life a bit smoother. In "the Old Days" we had to tape all of the negs to masking sheets, over a light table to arrive at our cropping. It was VERY tedious, and time consuming. Now it is all done via software. Quicker, more stable as we can see the end result before the prints get back, and sent via the internet as opposed to the Post Office. Turn around time almost immediate so I can now deliver products to clients that would have been impossible five years ago. I'm getting ready for next years specials so stay tuned !

Web Page is up !!!

Years in the making....Cast of thousands.........No expense spared or trimmed !!!!!!

The Website is open !!!

morganstudiointulsaoklahoma.com is up and functioning. A bit more tweeking and we'll be rocking and rolling. Check on it for updates !

When you can't sleep..do something productive.

Every now and then I am stuck in a thinking mode and it is always at night. I got to bed about ten last night and was wide awake at 1:30. No reason to waste the time so I started thinking about marketing the studio. I have just come off two events that were VERY successful and I'm planning a new special for February. The name of the game is to continually expand your market with new clients and keep the old at the same time. About three it came to me and I got up and wrote the idea down. I can't tell you how many ideas I've lost in the fodder of sleep after being enlightened with the "Great Idea'. I now get up and write them down after I develop them.

I'm also trying to become engaged with a group that needs a videographer/blogger/still camera guy, that can travel well, roll with the punches, and do what he says he can. I know I'm the guy they need....I just have to convince them. I've shown them my hand, now I hope they see all the aces in it.

Over the last several days I have been reviewing some of my China images from 1987, when I was there for a month with Kodak. I thought I'd add them to the blog today because they have special meaning for me. It was an amazing time and I saw a part of the world, that up until that time, I never thought I would. Enjoy

Media Stars

In the afternoon last saturday I met with a group of girls that wanted to learn about the media profession, advertising, the web, photography and the business of media. Inclusively as part of the project we had sessions both creating advertising images for the Girl Scout Cookie sale that is coming up and a few portraits of the girls. It was a good afternoon well spent.

Last weekend....the shoots....

I got up early Saturday morning as I wanted to be down at the "Breakfast with Santa" location early and be set up ready for the hoards of people I expected. I have been in the business long enough to know that Murphy DOES exist and if something is going to go wrong....it will happen where ever I am. I got the background up, lights placed and fired off a test shot on the exposure. Everything was in place and looked good.

In the kitchen were the cooks, accessory equipment they brought to cook and keep breakfast warm, and wait staff. People were starting to filter in with their kids and breakfast was being served, lookin' good, gonna work. I then noticed that the modeling light was out on my main, fill, and background lights. I checked and there was no power to my lights, period. I found the administrator I had been working with telling her that we evidently blew a fuse. She called the maintenance man who was on his way in and told him about the problem. He said he would be there shortly.

Concerned....yes I was concerned.....but Santa hadn't arrived yet so I was OK...thirty minutes go by....no maintenance man...but no Santa either. More people and kids.... Starting to sweat bullets but still O.K. Can't photograph kids with Santa if there is no Santa. Walking a thin line....The administrator then hears from Santa...Mrs. Claus has fallen the ambulance is on the way. I see dollar bills sprouting wings and headed south for the winter. Twenty minutes go by, I hear that Santa AND Mrs. Claus are on the way. There is hope.

Santa and Mrs. Clause arrive shaken, but in good spirits. Without my studio lights I decide to keep the show going I use my Nikon 900 flash which can do a good job, but will necessitate a bit more work on the digital negatives to get what I want.....but will work. The maintenance man shows up ten minutes later...lights are back on. YEEEEEEE HAWWWWWWWWW !!

In an effort to break in my new Marketing Director I brought her along. What a great way to get her feet wet. In this profession you seem to have to constantly be thinking on your feet and she saw that. We had a couple of people cut in line, frown frown, but in order to remain some semblance of peace, good will, and Christmas cheer, we moved right through it and kept on going. We extended the shoot time as people were still coming in and I was having a really good time. I was able to produce, for some Parents, the picture that will come in VERY useful as their children age.

Several kids had a minds eye image of a Santa that evidently did not meet the reality they were facing. One shove by Mom or Dad closer to the big red suit and the kids lost it. In every case I looked at the parent and asked what they wanted to do........."TAKE IT !!", was the reply. When the kids are 17 and step out of line, I know in my heart that one of my images of them with Santa, will be the threat and promise. Straighten up..or you and Santa WILL be in your Senior yearbook. Merry Christmas.

New Marketing agent to join !!

The first of the year I will have filled a new position for my company, Director of Marketing. It will be filled by perhaps one of the most capable business people that I have ever known. Her marketing record is unmatched, and business sense edges on the realm of "6th sense". For the past twenty years she has held the Chief Executive Officer of two nonprofit organizations, advancing them far beyond the expected hopes of their Boards of Directors. She has received national recognition for her successes within the Organizations she has steered. Bringing these two organizations to the forefront was not easy. The economies and preconceived notions of what the organizations were, in both cities, had their challenges. She met them with creative ideas and innovative programs. It was not long before the media picked up on the fact that there was a "new idea machine" in town and they promptly embraced her personality and drive.

I actually have known her for almost 20 years. I can't tell you how amazed I've been in watching her face the challenges she has, constantly turning tough assignments into beneficial programs for her organization and the people in it. Watch out !! Morgan Studio is adding Karen Morgan, retiring C.E.O. of the Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma as our Director of Marketing/Vice President. Welcome aboard Karen.

Christmas !!!

What a wild time of year for our studio. As in the past, Christmas is the last really big event till the wedding season starts in April and May. We are already however speaking with prospective Brides for dates early in 2012. It just keeps getting necessary to book your wedding further out from the date of the wedding.

Saturday I have two large booking with a couple of organizations that should be fun and create a buzz from my new clients. I will be photographing Santa with individuals from a very large group of people at a local site that has a historically large turnout. It will really be a kick and full of surprises. You just never know two things, how the small kids will react and how the background will be received.

Having been behind the camera in many instances with Santa from Rotary's to other civic organizations, I have seen kids that you had to pry Santa away from, to kids that were terrified. You just never know until they are close to meeting him. My backgrounds are really different from most that you see. I generally shy away from the Trees and presents of the expected backgrounds......no real reason, just that I like to simplify the view so to speak. I'll include a picture Monday in the Blog.

My next assignment is to be photographing a number of girls that are interested in media and the production of it for ad agencies. I will bet that for many of them this will be the first time they will have ever been in a photographic studio. It should be a real hoot and open up a whole field of questions. I'm really looking forward to both jobs, it will be a fun weekend.

NEW STUFF !!!!!!

Well I've always wanted to do this and now technology is allowing it to happen. I have become hooked up with an amazing supplier that will allow me to generate high quality printed pieces that are custom designed for my clients. For instance, Custom Wedding invitations and announcements with the couples portraits on them. Birthday invitations with a picture of the child or adult...the possibilities are endless.

My commercial clients have a new opportunity to launch a new product or service with such an announcement. Everything is custom made on these pieces. They are printed on high quality paper, either as a folded piece or a one pager. Simply amazing. These can be a low run piece or a high volume...it's what ever my clients want. YEEEEE HHHHAAAAAAWWWWWWW !!!!!

Technology growth

Being somewhat of an old dog that grew up with Hopalong Cassidy, Gene Autry, and Andy of Mayberry, technology has somewhat of a dark corner I've avoided at all cost. My first computer came with the introduction of the Macintosh around 1984 and it was a life saver. No DOS to learn,it was a piece of cake. Of course you had to put up with Apples attitude and that is still old.....look what has happened since it took in Intel chips. They could have owned the world. My computer now has a terabyte or two in the drives and 12 gigs of ram....the sore spot has been the connection to the net.

I've just talked with some people that will get me set up so I can transfer data at a reasonable rate. I was on 48 hours trying to load 417 images to my lab to put up for customers to order from.
TOOOOOOOOOOO long. Hopefully Friday I'll have the new line in and be ready to rock and roll.

Ya just never know..............

I made an appointment for Saturday morning with a potential client to discuss her upcoming wedding next year. I had given her my card at one time and I didn't remember the event, and actually thought it must have been at the last wedding I photographed two weeks ago....I just couldn't put my finger on it. She came in and was impressed with the studio....it is a very different style, and we discussed the wedding. It will be on 11-11-11 which will be a really hot date next year due to the dates repetitive number. She is useing her head as all of the locations will book up quickly as will the suppliers of services.

She had spoken with a couple of other photographers and decided that their pricing had too many strings attached to them. Most of this revolved around a base price for X amount of hours then an additional hourly price for anything over the minimum. This is the best sign I know of that reveals two things about a photographer.

1. He doesn't have the best interest of his client in mind. A wedding is a celebration of the joining of two people and it is a celebration ! He is hired to document the WHOLE event. It shouldn't be his place to limit his attendance. He, if professional, should know that. If he is a photographer that works it as a side line, you shouldn't use him anyway.

2. He doesn't understand the business of Professional service. Because of this, the final product will be inferior to what you should expect. He will scrimp on the suppliers he uses and the quality of products he delivers. Never use him.

3. A lowball price indicates that he may book several wedding in a day and can only spend X amount of time at each one as he has the hammer of time over his head. He has another event to get to.

The other "studio" probably has a "staff" of photographers that will sent. Someone you, as the client, has probably NEVER met. I have known of "studios" that hire people to photograph weddings with no training to speak of, send them out to do the job, and are satisfied with the fact that their people got "pitchures". Everyone wants to be a "Photo Hero". I just find that unacceptable.


The people that grab a camera and start shooting weddings have no idea what they are getting into in terms of equipment and TIME. Time is the hidden cost. For me to produce a finished album, starting the clock at the first consultation, I will generally have about forty hours wrapped up in the design of the album, editing, sorting, shooting and consulting. People just don't ever see the time. I love weddings and they actually start a generational relationship with their family and me. First the wedding, then the first child, family portrait, Grandparents, first communion, junior high dances, Senior portraits..............on and on...
I love this job.

The Lasting Impressions.....

You never expect any life changing differences to be made by slight associations, but it must happen everyday....and many times you'll never have a clue. I've met people that have entered my life briefly that have had this lasting effect, some good and some bad, but overall in a good manner. My wife is somewhat amazed that my associations run so deep, but I figure that a friend is a friend, and there is not much that can make that change. But what about the ships passing in the night so to speak.

I got a note on my facebook page from the daughter of one of my past accounts that I had done family portraits for in the late 70's. In the note she said she remembered the session and at that time, as a young girl, she had decided, then and there, that she wanted to be a professional photographer. In the note she said she had set up a studio in Wilmington North Carolina and was now in the business.

While in College I studied under Don Sothern of Springfield Missouri who, at that time, understood portrait lighting better than any other Professional Photographer in the state. He was a true master of controlled portrait lighting. I am forever grateful that he took the time to teach me the ability to "see" light in a Professional sense. Now, 41 years later, very few photographers know the difference between portrait lighting and a flash on a camera. The "Photojournalistic" style is generally the key word of those who haven't taken the time or had the interest run deep enough to learn what quality Portrait Photography is all about. I have seen the profession evolve through the Digital Revolution where the camera makes all the decisions, so the maker of the image really only has to point and shoot.....I have a picture so, now I can sell it and be a Professional.

The interesting point that I'm coming to is that this young girl I'm speaking of is still shooting film. What a fabulous concept. Film is the true decision maker because if the knowledge of proper exposure isn't there, the computer can't save you. The thought process is relied on because of the cost factors involved. The film has to be developed to be seen. Paper previews must be made. Time is taken and there must be an investment in experience and knowledge that is necessary to have the exposures come out. There is no Photojournalistic style to hide behind here...this is the real deal.

Professional Photographers of the Ozarks

Last week I attended the Professional Photographers of the Ozarks Convention/Seminar in Eureka Springs Arkansas. The organization was started in the 60's by two groups of professional photographers, one located in Springfield and the other in Joplin. I joined it in 1972 after I opened my studio in Carthage. At this time I also started to realize that by attending the seminars and competing in the print competitions my work would improve. I learned as I attended and soon was asked to become a Board member of the Missouri Professional Photographers. I had also been asked to become a member of the P.P.O. Board, which I did. In 1980 I became the President of the P.P.O. and by that time we ( The Board ) had fostered the organization into a group of 300 or so Professional Photographers from Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Arkansas. Our Speakers came from all over the US and it was a great time. The conventions were held twice a year and were a blast. I have had some conversation with the powers that be that it may be time to get on the board again. Membership needs to be strengthened and the programs more intuitive to the professional. I think I am going to give it serious consideration.

At the meeting there is a print competition that brings out the best of the best. The competition is judged by 5 judges and discussion frequently follow the initial display of the images. Sometimes these discussions can carry on for thirty minutes or more, it's pretty interesting conversation. I was fortunate to enough to hang three prints, which scored high enough to do so. Perhaps my favorite of the three is this client, photographed in Kansas City.

It was fun reconnecting with friends I've had for years, and being in competition again. I'm looking forward to the next convention in the Spring.

The Wedding was FABULOUS !!!!

The wedding was a great time !! t was held at the Dresser Mansion here in Tulsa and it was a great venue to shoot in. The Bride was stunning and the Groom looked very dashing. We got some really fabulous images of the wedding party, as two separate groups and together, plus a multitude of associated shots and combinations. As I have mentioned before, photographing everything before the wedding has distinct advantages. The guys were first as they were all together and it just doesn't take them that long to dress. However...one of them forgot his tux. He was a professional DJ/radio personality and had the responsibility of getting all of the audio and lighting equipment to the event....the tux just slipped his mind. He was thinking of other things. Because we started two hours early with the photography, the problem was discovered and the hour and a half round trip to get the tux was not a problem. Once again-saved by starting ahead.

Reach for the sky !!!

I had a family session this past Sunday and the topic of weapons came up and it reminded me of a story.In 1987 I spent a month in The Peoples Republic of China with Kodak as an ambassador for them. Our group traveled throughout the country meeting with Professional Photographers and discussing our work and techniques. While there I met Joe Young from Saskatoon, Canada, and we hit it off well. As it turned out he was former Chairman of the Board of Kentucky Fried Chicken Canada and he invited me to Saskatoon after we returned to do Family portraits for him. It was fun and I produced some really fine work for him, he was pleased. While I was there his son Gordie and I were talking and as it turned out he was into marshal arts. He had some friends that he trained with and wanted to be photographed with them. Rather than go to the gym and do the ol' standing around lifting weights shot, I suggested that they dress kind of roughly and we go to the train station and do some "tough" shots. That lit him up and we set the appointment.

Joe and I drove to the appointed spot the next day to meet the guys. There were a couple of pretty tough looking guys standing around about half a block away from the appointed spot and I ask Joe if these guys were part of the group. He said he didn't know, he had never met any of them, adding that they sure looked rough. In a minute or two Gordie drove up and a gal and guy hopped out of his car and waved at the other two guys we were wondering about. They walked over. We had the round of introductions and I got my equipment ready. Just before we started to go to the location by the boxcars a guy walked up, dressed in a Mountie uniform. We all stopped and he asked" Do any of you have a gun ?" One of the guys said "Well yes", and reached behind his back. At that immediate instant a very loud voice from behind us shouted " HOLD IT !!!!".

It is really amazing how immediate reactions can become. I instinctively reached for the skies and froze. In what seemed like an eternity I noticed that I was not alone in trying to touch the clouds. Another Mountie was behind us, GUN DRAWN !!! POINTED AT US !!!! The first Mountie was in slow motion as he walked around and pulled a gun from the jeans of one of the guys. It seemed as though the guy with the gun said in a voice coming from a slowly played 45 record..."iiiiitttttttssss aaaaaa sssstttttaaaaarrrrrrrtttttttttiiiinnnggg ppiissttollll."

The mountie pulled it out, examined it, and noted that it WAS a starters pistol, we could put our arms down. Then came the twenty questions.....What's going on.....everyone looked at me.
I'm a photographer from the States and we are photographing for a Record album cover. Seemed logical......to me. "Why the gun,"he said. I went into a long story about reality in appearance
but wanting to be safe....blah blah blah. I was then dressed down for not calling the authorities and letting them know what we were doing. I profusely apologized promising not to ever let it happen again. We were then left alone.

The guys looked at each other and the QUESTION came up...How'd they know? After some discussion we put the story together.The two guys that were early had gone into a bar and asked for a drink of water....as none of them drank alcohol. Evidently, as the guy reached for his billfold, he moved his shirt which wasn't tucked in, and the bartender saw the gun. He said the water was free so the guys left........and the Bartender called the cops thinking he had averted a robbery.

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH..... the life of photography........it's just a movie....

Wedding bells are ringing again..

Kind of a catchy title for the Blog...no pun intended, but I have a wedding coming up weekend after this and I'm looking forward to it. Yesterday I did the formal portraits of the Bride and she'll view them this afternoon. It was a kick to do. The couple is getting married in the Dresser Mansion here in Tulsa and it is going to be a great time. The grounds are fabulous, the interior is spacious with large windows and the feel of the elegance of the "20's" when the building was built. We will have late afternoon sun to work with and, as usual, we will do the majority of the portraits before the wedding. This will include the Bride and Groom, families, and attendants. By photographing everything ahead of time, with exception of the cake cutting and other reception shots, the Bride and Groom can spend time with their invited guests instead of missing them because of pictures. I'll keep you posted as we get closer to the day.

Being There...at the Maple Leaf Festival

It's better than waiting for Christmas.........it's warmer, you get to see more friends, the walk down Grand Avenue is a head on with old times and friends. It just can't get any better. I don't think that there is an event I look forward to more than Maple Leaf. Given that this event is now 44 years old and going strong, I guess it is the premier event in town. It seems as though all small towns seem to have a homecoming of sorts, and Maple Leaf has become Carthage's.

The local perspective given it runs the complete range from "so what" to mine of "can't wait". My lock on friends I guess is the determining factor in my looking forward to it so much. I will see many people that I haven't seen for a year or more and in most cases, will catch up on where we've been, starting with our last conversation. It's really a kick. I heard Sam Platt will be playing Saturday night at Jim's so that is must see. His group is fantastic and the crowd will be fun.

The car show on Saturday will have over 400 cars so that also is a gotta see. In fact, I will be covering that for one of the Car Mags that wants pictures. Yeeeee Haaawwwww...gonna be fun.

Childrens' Portraits

Childrens' portraits always need a different approach depending on the client. I have done many specials over the years in collaboration with schools, preschools, and my own specials. It has built a rather nice following for me and has allowed me to watch my clients grow up. It has also led to sessions with the clients on a one to one basis. The following image is an example of a one on one session that came about through one of my specials. I had photographed these two girls on several occasions in different specials and Mom and Dad decided that the time was right for an individual session for them. I previewed the location during the consultation I had with the patents and knew what additional equipment I would need to complete the shoot. At the appointed time I arrived and set the lights and camera and waited for the girls. Soon they came out dressed to the "9's" and we started to work. Although the youngest knew me she had suddenly become bashful. Sensing this, it was obvious that she needed the comfort of being "connected" to her sister and we made that happen. The resulting portrait to me captures the essence of childhood and the fragility of age. I really like this portrait.

Weddings and what I look for at them...

A wedding is probably the the highest tension event most of us will ever go through. It seems to be a self-generating combination of what ifs, how comes, and OHHHH MANNNNNNNNNN's! But...in spite of that, by the time the dust clears, in most cases they are a really great time. Today I was going through some files and came up on a wedding I shot in Crested Butte, Colorado. It was one of my most memorable for a multitude of reasons. I have found that through the years I have had incredible customer loyalty and generally remember my clients, if not by name, by the images I shot of them. In many cases they are still floating in my memory. I had photographed this family in the early 70's when the children were young and Dad was just starting his career. The home I photographed in was in Neosho and a wonderful place to be, warm and inviting.

This particular wedding was going to be outside overlooking a fabulous meadow filled with wildflowers in Crested Butte where the couple had met and presently lived. The view was a spectacular John Denver kind of thing outside and the weather sparkling. The deck was large and easily would give everyone a good piece of the view and yet create an intimacy for the wedding we all could enjoy. The mountains, which surrounded us with white tops and tree laden slopes did however contribute to a weather pattern that could be pretty unpredictable. As we were getting ready to shoot the first Claps of thunder rolled through the valley.

That started the fire drill with all of the guys and dads scrambling to save the flowers and other decorations on the deck. Through the following rumbles and cracks of lightening I started the formal portraits inside. In what seemed an eternity to me, I photographed the groups, individuals, couples and family members silently wondering how special the wedding could have been if the weather had cooperated.

In Missouri, when it starts to rain it generally lasts a good part of the day. Not having spent much time in the mountains I figured the day was lost and we would have to accept the fate that was stareing at us......INSIDE WEDDING. The Bride didn't seem to be too concerned and I was amazed at her acceptance of the hand she was dealt. What I hadn't considered and didn't realize, WE WERE IN THE MOUNTAINS !!! It almost always rains in the mountains daily in late July early August. Soon the clouds broke, the sun came out, the deck redecorated, and the wedding was a complete success.

I have several memorable images I would like to share with you from that wedding. There are so many imagers that present themselves that unique to the event.

The Bat Mitzvah I photographed last night

Last night I had a fabulous time capturing the dinner and celebration of one of my clients, Isabella. It started with everyone gathering, family and friends, and socializing. After seating and the prayers, breaking bread, and dinner, the fun began. Her Dad and Mom spoke and then a slide presentation was given, narrated by her father. It was a riot. We in the audience got to see her grow up before our eyes, what a fun time. Soon after the show, the dance floor was cleared and the dancing began. I had forgotten how much a really great time a party can be for a group of kids. Many relatives were present and I was able to collect many memories for her album of the night, that will only increase in personal value as she gets older. A really great time for everyone.

Maple Leaf One Shot !!!

It's happened again, the Maple Leaf Festival is approaching. As has been a tradition for a number of years...frankly more than I would have ever assumed, I am having my One Shot again this year. It will be held at the same place we had it last year, 401 Belle Air, one block east off of Grand Avenue. We will be shooting Sunday morning October 17th, from 10:00 until 2:00 in the afternoon. If it is raining steadily, we will have to cancel it. However, if it is cloudy, we will be in great shape as that is my preferred lighting.

I really enjoyed shooting at that location as the background is fabulous with the colors of the Maple trees, complimented with a rustic wood fencing, and the soft green bushes. Of course family groups, individuals, friends, and pets are all welcome, with no reservations required. Payment is due at the time of the order, and because of some streamlining of our ordering process deliver has been simplified and the prints will be back sooner. If these times won't fit your schedule please contact me at 918-760-1575 and we'll see if I can schedule a different time for you on Saturday.

I will have the same pricing as last year with packages ranging from $25.00 up. Once again you may create your own custom packages with our Ala Carte packages. I hope to see you there and help you continue the family tradition of the morgan Portraits on your walls.

Time Machine-Fast Forward !!

I was expecting to get a couple of images published in Ol'Skool RODZ-THE HOT ROD KULTURE MAG from last year. They concerned my trip down the road of memories of growing up in Carthage and going to Mo Kan drag-strip in Asbury Missouri as a kid. It was a day of "Nostalgia Drags", featuring cars that were pre-70's with the majority being custom low riders, custom Mercs, Fords, Chevys,Plymouths, Rat Rods and classics. I wrote a bit about the day and the flood of mental images of the times and people I've known. That all came back to me because of the trip. They published the whole story with 8 images. As we used to say in the late 60's...Farm Trout. I never expected the article to be published,just the images. Cars were a big part of the teen years and as I got to Mo Kan it all came back. I'm returning tomorrow and on the way I've set up a shoot with on old hot rod friend of mine that has had some of the quickest cars around.

Even more amazing is the fact that in the same issue there are several pages dedicated to Mickey Thompson. Mickey was a hero of mine growing up as he set land speed records, had a line of Hot Rods products, and raced in about every area you could imagine. As fate would have it, he was my wife's first cousin. It is amazing how things roll out. The issue I have is the January 2011 issue......I've gone into the future !! WOW...there is time travel!! I'll keep you posted. Zoom Zoom

Back to the original intent of the last blog...

I started to share some images with you from a recent shoot I had at Cains Ballroom and got wound up talking about Jackson Browne. SORRRRRRRRRRRRRY !!!
My original intent for creating these images was twofold. One to document for the Band that they played at the Historical birthplace of some great Oklahoma musicians and secondly that they would have some images for future publications, posters etc.
It was a very hot evening and the crowd was packed in the hall. Fortunately I did have my earplugs with me as being that close to the band and the amps hearing is affected in an adverse way. It was a fun shoot.

Rock and Roll

I've photographed bands since I was in college and it has always been somewhat of a hoot. I was asked by my business partner in California, Byron, to fly out to LA and photograph a Jackson Browne Concert in the 80's and I took him up on it. I was expecting a huge gathering in a stadium or hall as the event was to raise funds for the Catholic Church to fund the care and education of the homeless children that were sent up to the US from El Salvador during the Iran Contra situation. Their parents thought that even living on the street in LA was safer than being in the country with the "war" going on. The church was known as a sanctuary for the children and they all tried to get there.

Byron picked me up at the airport and we went to his apartment and settled for a while. He then told me that the concert was to be attended by about 400 people and was to be held in the courtyard of the oldest Catholic church in the City. I didn't know what to expect....400 people...how much money could that bring in ? The next day we loaded up and drove to the church. Arriving there walked into the courtyard and the area was ready for the gathering. NOTHING like what I expected. An open area with tables of finger food, a couple of bars and tables for the guests to sit at while they ate and drank. There was a stool and a chair with a microphone sitting alone some distance from the tables. I really didn't know what to expect. The light was good and with only 400 people I should be able to get some great shots. I was standing around talking to Byron and I started noticing faces I recognized from Television and the movies. Byron stepped away from me to speak with someone a a guy came up and said, " My name is Kris, where ya from, ya talk funny." I promptly told him I was from the Ozarks and gave him my name. We shook hands and he turned to Jimmy Smits who was one of the stars of LA Law and said," Hey Jimmy come here and listen to this, he's from the Ozarks. I spent the rest of the night photographing and eating dinner with LA Law and the Hill Blues guys while they listened to me talk. Never knew I had an accent.....

The Interview Part 2

My interview was aired this morning and it was very good...thank God for editing. Dick took about an hour and a half interview and edited it into a 20 minute segment and quite frankly did a great job of making my rambling sound like I had good sense. Of course that has always been in question ....I've been able to bluff well. I'm sorry that I seem to have neglected the Blog but I have been very busy with new business, and clients. I had a great time last week photographing the introduction party of "119 Downtown" a building of Historical significance that is poised for repurposing as Residential Lofts. I will be doing the interior imagery soon and will post some of them here. The project is amazing. Outside of the building was a spotlight opening up the heavens overhead and that brought back memories from my childhood in Missouri in the 50's.

I was 9 or 10 and there was a spotlight searching the sky one night as we looked toward town. We had never seen anything like it and the family piled into the car and headed to town. Bear in mind that things were simpler then, we may have just gotten our first Black and White TV. As we approached the center of town, it was a "square" as it had the county Courthouse in the center, the light seemed to reach up from that area. NO it was from the East side !! As we drove to that side we ran into what had to be the first traffic jam I had ever been in. Cars were everywhere!!! Located on the East side of the square was the Fox theater.......and it was playing "I Married the Monster from Outer Space." I guess we were to believe they were searching for more space ships. The searchlight got the town out and all of the kids saw the movie............and knew from that night on, the monsters were in the dark basements, closets with slightly open doors at night, and always under their beds.

"The Story"

Tomorrow is the day my "Japanese Iraqi Hostage" story gets full airing on National Public Radio. It will be carried under the program "The Story" with Dick Gordon. I just checked locations of stations carrying the program and the closest is KOSU - FM 91.7 in Stillwater. There are however 100 stations Nationwide that will be airing it. On KOSU it will air at 11:00 tomorrow morning. If you want to hear it and can't get it on your radio you may stream it from the net by going to thestory.org and hear it. They will leave it on their website for a week or so so that if the 11:00 time is not convenient you can catch it at another time. It is an amazing piece of unknown history of the times in Iraq immediately before Desert Storm kicked of the war. Interesting escapade..........to say the least. There will be some images featured on the site that have never been published before

RAIN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I had a session yesterday that the rain helped. The sky was overcast and I could shoot anywhere. It was so easy to control and see the light, I live for overcast days.I finished the new floor in my set that I put up this last weekend and have decided what I'll do with my last area. I've added pictures at the request of one of my followers of my reception area and working office. The studio area will not be seen as there are too many great ideas that I really don't want to give anyone that may need ideas for their studio locally. Sorry....but a great place to visit.

I have been negligent in making calls to potential clients...I get distracted easily..Tuesday I'll start as summer is over officially and we all need to be looking to the needs of fall and next year. This weekend I'll get a marketing plan down on paper as that is the only way it really works. I generally get the ideas, put them down on paper, rearrange them into a logical order and as projects are finished they can be checked off the list. It is sort of a bucket list of "to do's". Stay tuned for pictures of my studio.......coming soon to your computer.

Second to the last addition to the studio

I've been looking at a corner of the studio for some time now and have had reservations about the treatment I was going to give it.I do most of my creative thinking between...regrettably...between 3:00 and 4:30 in the morning. I have thought about the style of the wall and have run the treatment over and over in my head. Nothing seemed to trip my trigger....until last Friday. I came up with the idea and built it in this past weekend. In the process of doing that I resolved the other corner that I was considering and I completed it last week also. I have only one wall to finish. Business is starting to flow in and it looks like I made the right decision in opening up in the PhilTower.

I have had several consultations for Senior Portraits and once that starts and previews are passed around, and the Seniors can see that they can get a different "look" here that at other locations can't offer, business will be rolling.

Hot RODZ !!!!

I just talked to Alan Mayes, Managing editor of "Ol' Skool Rodz and Car Kulture DeLuxe" Magazines.Some images I photographed from the Mo-Kan adventure I had last year will be published in the upcoming October 5th issue. The gathering this year is on Sunday October 3rd at Mo-Kan Drag strip in Asbury Missouri, and promises to be a really great time again watching some fabulous cars from the 40's and 50's run down the quarter mile. The cars range in style from Rat Rods, apparent rust buckets with bad paint, to highly polished and chromed low riders with dazzling paint and 40's style. The Rat Rods are generally FAST and look like a lot of fun to drive because they are such sleepers.....especially at stoplights. The customs are just Kool. They are so far over the top in paint and style that they are in a class of their own. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to the event.

RadioLand....N.P.R.

I had my interview with "The Story" with Dick Gordon yesterday. Interesting interview and I'm curious how it will edit. I could come out looking like the village idiot or maybe looking like I'll go anywhere for a free trip.....time will tell. Also interesting that it happened almost 20 years ago. Time has given it a different perspective. I'll keep you posted as to the airing date.
Steve Clem was the engineer and a tremendous help. A very nice faciity.

Back again....NEWS !!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm back from the second trip to North Carolina. It's really a hop, skip, and jump as the connections are close and all across the terminal. I got wind of a session that may take place in October. It will be fun. It reminds me of of a call I got several years ago from one of my clients that ask me to shoot a friend of hers, a country musician that she wrote a song for that he recorded. He was traveling from California to Nashville and would stop in my studio on the way for a session with me. I asked who it was and she told me that she couldn't say as the word might get out....and that would not be good. As I have said many times in this blog, I am the luckiest guy in the world. She said he would be in between 11:00 and 2:00, I was to wait. I agreed and had some reservations. I was told he would pay the necessary amount, and to shoot a lot. As the clock rounded 1:15 it became perfectly clear that I might have been had by some of my friends.I was hungry, the clock was ticking and no one had even opened the door.

My studio was about two blocks north for Souls Harbor, a rescue mission in town. Periodically some of the clients would be walking to the North and pass the studio. They were just people that were down on their luck and passing through. They all had a story to tell, you could see it on their faces. The second hand on the clock hadn't paused and it was about a quarter till two. How could I have been so easy. A call out of the blue, a former client claiming to have written a song that was recorded by a country western singer. I was to photograph that famous singer, HOOK, LINE , AND SINKER !!!! I took it all.

I stood looking out the window and saw a man coming up the street......North. He had on a long coat, knee high boots and a very broad brimmed hat. Hadn't shaved for a long time, what a day. The man made a right turn, stepped into the studio, took his hat off and said, Hello, I'm Merle Haggard, is Mike Morgan available. I told him he was. It was a fun shoot, ya just gotta have the faith.

Senior Portraits

Looking back, "The Senior Portrait" I had taken in "68", was something of a touch of new territory for me. My parents weren't big picture people. Granted we had the new clothes for Easter shots, Christmas, birthday pictures, and a couple of professional portraits taken growing up, but that was about it. I started my first "stash" in the fall of 1968, much to the dismay of my Mother and disdain from my Dad. It lasted a week. I transferred to SMS in the summer of "69"and started it again. It's been with me ever since with the exception of the three days it took to go to KC for my physical for the Army, but that's another story. The changes we go through as we grow up and the memories the old images bring up give meaning to the portraits of our lives.

I came across the Senior portraits of an old friend of mine that I took and I thought that I'd pass them on to my readers. This guy is one of the best Jazz drummers in the Mid West and one heck of a great guy. The memories I have, other than of him, are of the studios I took them in. The white wall and door shot was taken in my available light studio in Carthage that had been in use since the late 1800's. It originally was the first "Steward Studio" just off the square. In 1975 I bought my studio building at 340 Lyon Street. It was a great 2 story brick building that had been built in 1883. As a matter of fact Onis Hutchins used it to store his business supplies in. His daughter was a year younger than I and later married the Manager of (and now business partner ) with Graham Nash, of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. Check out Nash Productions for limited edition prints and production services. Sorry about the wandering conversation but memories are memories. Anyway, the day after I bought the building at 340 I walked south and turned left, AND LOOKED UP. I grew up in Carthage, I thought I knew everything about it. To my south was the Skylight of old. The studio I had never seen, never knew of and would have killed for if I had known it was there. It was sitting silently 2 and a half stories up....I had just NEVER looked up. Bill Grey owned the building and I rented the studio from him and used it in the Spring and Fall. If it rained you were out of luck as the skylight leaked, and if it was winter you froze as there was no heat. But....when the weather would allow shooting in it...it was fabulous. Sam and the drums were taken in my studio at 340.

In my new studio here in Tulsa I am able to take full advantage of the natural light as two of my walls. East and South are floor to ceiling glass.....one story above the street.