“RNP the Blog”

I have made conscious effort to keep this blog from getting too personal. It would be easy to fill up posts with pictures of my children and our adventures together but I haven’t felt like that served a genuine purpose for the folks that visit my website and blog.

Today I am breaking my own rule because my youngest daughter Malia turns two today.

She has lived a full life in her twenty four months with us. About five months into her pregnancy during an ultrasound scan we found out she had developed a small growth on her lung and near her heart. The doctors called it a “CAM” which stands for Cystic Adenomatoid Malformation which is basically a lung malformation. The doctors watched this growth frequently throughout the reminder of the pregnancy and we met with a specialist and a surgeon to talk about possible scenarios for her. Thankfully the growth remained very small throughout the pregnancy.

She was born two years ago today at 6:18 a.m. and was quickly taken away to the “NICU” the neonatal intensive care unit where she spent the first few days of her life. Her oxygen levels were a little low initially and with her growth they wanted to keep a close eye on her. We were able to take her home with us after four days at the hospital a beautiful spring day that my wife and I will not ever forget.

For the most part Malia’s health has been good throughout her life, unfortunately she got very sick last September while I was in Phoenix working. Sick enough that she had to be taken to the hospital. A stressful time to say the least but while we were at the hospital we decided to have her scanned to take a look at the CAM because we were still faced with the decision on whether or not we would elect to have the CAM removed. Apparently the biggest danger related to a CAM of her size is they have a history of attracting cancer cells.

What was originally a very stressful situation turned into a joyous one…the scan in September confirmed what we had all hoped and prayed for, the CAM was gone. I still remember trying to tell my mom the news and not being able to get the words out.

Her middle name is Grace…and every time I start to feel sorry for myself I just look at her and think of how blessed we are to have her (and have her healthy) in our lives. Happy Birthday Malia Grace…

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I have a portfolio showing at VML in Kansas City today. According to an article I read in the Kansas City Star a few months back it is the largest agency in the Kansas City area. I don’t remember if that figure was based on annual billings or number of employees, but either way VML is definitely a major player. Hopefully my new portfolio “Fotos I Took” will get some love.

These showings are generally pretty fun and I think I have a great treat figured out for the folks that are attending….can you say “Big Momma’s?” If you are in the Kansas City area and haven’t tried Big Momma’s in Raytown you need to…let me just say it is the only good thing that has happened in Raytown in many years (and yes I can say that because I grew up in Raytown).

And yes for those of you following along with my earlier post about “photo swag or no photo swag” I am giving in and anteing up.

Here are some of the things that I enjoy about the portfolio showing….ad agencies are all about cool. Their offices are always modern and fashionable and I generally spend way too much time looking around at their digs than I should. You can pretty much always count on something completely random at an agency like a ping pong table or an old school popcorn popper like you would see at the movie theater. My personal favorite was the basketball court at Moses Anshell in Phoenix.

As an avid people watcher the ad agency folks are interesting “game” as well. My favorites are the designers “locked in” at their desks with headphones on, clicking away, completely tuned out to the world. I also love how many of the agencies are just large open rooms that offer little to no privacy whatsoever for the employees. I have always wondered how anyone is able to conduct business on the phone in those types of environments, maybe that is why almost everyone I have met from an agency seems to be more of an e-mail type (and it probably explains the headphones as well).

It should be an interesting day, and hopefully a positive one as I continue to get out and introduce myself and my work to the fine advertising folks in Kansas City.

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Shot some more stuff this weekend for my worst critic (that would be me) with my good buddy Dan Neal. Dan is a model with the Ford agency and I think he comes in at around four percent body fat.

Dan has become one of my closest friends since we met on a shoot four years ago. He is a great and loyal friend and always game for trying one of my crazy ideas.

Here is a transcript from a recent conversation between the two of us.

Me: “Hey Dan I would like to do some running shots with you….I found this cool spot in downtown Phoenix that I think we be a great location”

Dan: “Sounds great buddy, whatever you need just let me know.”

Me: “Awesome…only thing we will be running directly into traffic and I am going to need you to get up early on one of your few days off, ohh, and if your lovely wife Neeley could come and operate as a voice activated light stand that would help to.”

Dan: “Sounds great buddy, whatever you need just let me know.”

Me: “Ohhh and could you guys let me stay at your place while I am in town?”

Dan: “Hmmm…..let me think about that one buddy.”

Dan thanks for running all over downtown Phoenix for me…Neeley thanks for your help and excellent assistant work. You guys are the best!!

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Out in Phoenix working made some time to test with some new equipment, always find these experiences to be both frustrating and fruitful all at the same time. It is great to work when you don’t have anyone to please but yourself, but I don’t know that I have ever had a session that the vision that I had going into it totally matched the results. Maybe I am too hard on myself, maybe my expectations are set too high, or perhaps I am still working towards getting my talent to the level that matches my vision. I have the feeling that it is one of those battles I will fight my entire career.

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Was chatting it up with my buddy and fellow photog Brandon Sullivan yesterday about the photo business, 4 x 5 cameras, and how neither of us are great bloggers, you know the stuff us photographers like to jabber about…

As we were talking about promotional stuff I asked him when he goes to show his book at an ad agency if he takes any goodies (snacks, food, etc…) for the folks at the agency (I had gotten some feedback that it is generally expected by the folks at the agency to bring some treats for them). I haven’t for any of the book showings that I have had (and I have gotten some feedback recently from an inside source at an agency that it may have negatively impacted a meeting for me) and neither has Brandon when he has gone in by himself. However, when he has gone in with his reps as part of a group of photographers his reps have provided some snacks and such.

I thought it was an interesting discussion and joked that this is the stuff I should be blogging about…so fellow shooters out there, agency folks out there, anyone that enjoys expressing their opinion out there…photo swag or no photo swag?

*I realize that I am not using the term swag 100% correctly here, but I just like how photo swag sounds.

**If you are wanting my opinion on the subject I don’t have a problem with it, I just hope ultimately that the success of a meeting would depend on the work the photographer presents and not his/her choice of culinary treat.

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No I haven’t forgotten about my favorite photographer “weekly” post. In retrospect I probably shouldn’t have promised a weekly post…but why don’t we just move on.

Allow me to introduce you to David Bowman.

I don’t know much about Mr. Bowman beyond what is available on his website and his blog Aqua City. He is based in Minnesota and shoots a bit of everything. You will find portraits, environments, and landscapes in his portfolio. I really enjoy his “State Fair” and “End of Land” series on his website. I also really enjoyed the series he did recently at the Mall of America for a Time magazine article on the recession.

I really like Bowman’s eye and style. His images are pretty without being decorative, simple yet interesting (and I have to admit I have a soft spot for anyone based in the Midwest who shoots mostly large format film).

On a side note I have had a couple folks ask me why I feature other photographers on my blog. Which is a fair question. I do it first of all because I love photography and like to share great work; just like I enjoy sharing great music when I find it.

I also think sharing the type of work that speaks to me also tells the visitors to my site and blog quite a bit about my visual style and the type of images that I hope to produce.

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