Back From Orlando
I have been back a couple of days now. The shoot went pretty well. The property was a class A property with lots of nice visual features. My biggest issue was weather. This time of year here in Florida can be a challenge for those of us who shoot primarily on location and especially outdoors. So, I played the cloud dance a good part of the day. Where you come across a great shot but you have to wait for a cloud that is covering the sun to pass so you can get that shot. It can be so frustrating when it is a teeny little cloud that appears out of no where and moves agonizingly slow across the sun. And it's hot and humid to boot so there you stand afraid if you walk away you might get distracted and forget about this nice shot so you stay and wait.

I am also agonizing over whether or not I should invest in a Mamiya RZ67 or not. I really would like to have one. I shoot primarily digital now with my favorite Nikon D70 and I recently bought a very nice Calumet 4x5 with a 90 and 210 lens plus a lot of accessories. Now I would like to add a Mamiya RZ67 to the inventory. I had the Mamiya RB67 back in the 70s when I had my studio and loved shooting with that camera. Great quality. I am also looking into some relatively low wattage studio strobes for light fill light on some of the interiors I shoot. I don't want a bunch of really bulky gear, just some small lights that I can counce off the ceilings or walls to fill in when I have really bright windows or doorways overpowering a shot.

I just updated my website again for about the 10th time in a week. I just added a few shots to the Exhibition area is all. Also today I spent a fair amount of time on the PPA forum after I posted a question regarding Model Releases. We all have them, or should have, but the question is how to best protect yourself in case you get sued. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of responses to my post and how many others jumped in because they also wanted better clarification on the subject.

I have just learned also that there is a new deal in the works that could have me back involved with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. I hope so. Not for the money but for the opportunity to work with the tribe. I have spent some time with them on the Big Cypress reservation and that is just one of the best groups of people I have ever met. I really want to work with them and I have so many ideas that I would eventually like to do that would be fun and very informative too.

Well, the apartment business is slow so I am looking for other avenues to get more work here in Florida especially in the architectural area. I would love to become proficient enough to shoot an assignment for Architectural Digest. I would also love to have an assignment for Conde Nast Traveler or Ocean Drive or just about any of those magazines that deal in high quality images. If I were to get one of those assignments, it would mean that I finally acheived a level of quality that would fit with them. So there is my carrot.

Until later......