my coolness: HTML+JOB

I feel so cool !! I dont know the first thing about HTML codes but I managed to add a code for a 'Like' button on my blog !! whoop whoop! Go me! :)

Oh, and on another note, my coolness can also be explained by my new employment !! I was blessed with a job from a mutual friend of mine.
            
                 Niyyah, I know I keep repeating my gratitude to you and YES now I'm writing a blog post about it haha. But thank you.  I needed a part-time job that will not interfere with my photography and also to keep myself occupied during the week.  I cant wait to start working by your side and learning the ropes.  This is going to be fun and remember Karma doesn't only work with the negative, it works with the positive also. So please remember this when she bites you in the bum, in a 'good' way! =P

I hope everyone had a beautiful and great Easter.  My God is so awesome and I'm very grateful for what He's done & keeps doing for my family & I!

&& because Santana is so much cooler than I am, here he is showing off his coolness.

Fork on the Road

Should I just let it go?  Thats the question that I've been asking myself lately about my business.  I love doing what I do and doing what I love.  But its tough.  Its a struggle at times to keep the bookings coming in.  I dont know much about advertising and money talks.  I have business cards but thats not enough.  To have a website, you must pay.  I'm thinking of getting a part-time job but will I lose focus on my dream?  


A lot of people tell me they love my work or that I do a great job.  But why am I not booking?  What am I missing?  Maybe I'm being too hard on myself.  A lot of people are affected by this recession and I understand how it feels.  My prices are low compared to other photographers and I plan on raising them in 2012 but will I even book clients then?? With higher prices??

I'll take it a day at a time and see what happens.  If I need to get a part-time job, then so be it.  One day I shall quit and be able to give 100% again to my photography business.  Lord, please take the wheel.  It is yours.  Direct me to my next destination and remove me from this fork on the road because I dont know what to do next.  Amen

Family Shoot: Yamila+Rey+Danielle

In 2008 I bought my camera.  A Nikon D5000.  I remember the day it came in the mail.  Kuddy & I didnt know what to do first.  We started with step one which was to pop the battery in.  where does it go??  I'll check the manual.  Yes.  I knew that much about my new gadget.

To make a long story short, I call a very close friend of mine, Yamila, to let me borrow her beautiful baby girl, Danielle, for a mini-shoot.  I didnt know how much to charge or if I should charge but I asked her for $50 figuring eh. its just practice.  & also out of that $50 she received an album that left me with a $20 profit.  But I was all for it because I wanted to get out there and shoot.

We went to a local park and we had a blast.  It was so much more fun shooting a person instead of a glass of juice on a table [thats how I practiced in the beginning].

I know I'm babbling on but I took photos of Danielle, Yamila, and step-dad, Rey last weekend !!

Again, it was an experience I'm so grateful to have been a part of.  Thank you, Yamila.  Your friendship means a lot to me.  I'm happy you have found your love and now your little family is complete. :]

Here are a few photos of our 2008 session .. Please keep in mind, this was my first time and I had no clue. heehee Enjoy !

Now, Here are the photos of our 2011 photo shoot.  I can soooo see a change in my work. Do you?

                             Rey, thinking of a modeling career?? :)

                         Danielle kept finding me through the bushes, so Yamila took action. Thanks mom :)

                                                 Family Time!

                                  Thank you Rey.  You make her happy and you BOTH are too cute!

Isn't she just Adorable ?!

                                                         I Love Love !

                                   This family is just to Fabulous !  I can see them in a Magazine.

                                                           Mommy + Baby Girl :)

HOPE YOU ENJOYED! PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LEAVE A COMMENT AND CLICK THE TAB ON THE RIGHT TO BECOME A FAN ON FACEBOOK ! THE MORE NEW FRIENDS THE MERRIER!! :]

I will never forget: Amy + Jonathan Wedding

On March 19 2011 I worked as a second shooter for a wedding. Yes. A wedding!  As I arrived and parked my car at the Lambert Castle Museum, I noticed my hands shaking.  'i need to relax! why am i being so jumpy?', I thought.  Then, I saw Chris.

Christopher Barth, that is.  He was the main photographer for this wedding.  This was NOT his first wedding, and this was obvious.  He was cool, calm, and collected.  His vision was so clear.  It was a breeze for him to turn his vision into beautiful pictures.  Please feel free to check out his awesome work --> here.  

Chris walked me through making sure my lighting was correct for the outside photos we were going to take of the wedding party.  He was fast when on the move and his energy was 'off-the-hook'.  I loved every minute of this day, this experience, and that I was blessed with this opportunity .  Thank you Chris.  This wedding was my first and its the wedding I will never forget. :]

Here are the photos of Amy + Jonathan ( + the wedding party).. Hope you enjoy !! (feel free to critique in the comments)

                              
                             Naturally Fabulous, Amy

                                    

& here is Chris, in Action !! :]

                                                          

Check out more photos on this slideshow :] Enjoy !!

my beautiful, Huge, catalog/ dictionary

It all started with a jersey. A Yankees baseball jersey that is.  My friend and fellow photographer, Gabriella Rosario, posted as her Facebook status that she was selling two jerseys, so I figured, hey, why not repost this & help her out. Thats how nice I am :] .  From facebook, we moved on to a texting session about photography and then to schooling.  As I described to her my position in the photography field, I compared it to the dotted line on the roads.

You know, the one that allows you to pass the annoyingly slow person in front of you?? Yes. That one.

The reason why I compared my skill level to the infamous "dotted line" is because I feel as though I know some things about photography but I'm missing information of some of the small things.  For example, I recently worked as a second shooter with Mr. Christopher Barth, who was extremely patient with me and remarkable to work with.  I noticed with previous jobs that I was having some trouble with my lighting.  He told me to lower my ISO [to eliminate graininess] and work with my shutter.  Anyways, this helped my pictures a Bunch! 

So back to Gabs [Gabriella]. She mentioned to me I should, maybe, enroll in the School of Visual Arts in NY.  As my first step, I requested to receive some information thinking I'd receive a few pamphlets about the school.  Then, this incredibly Large book arrived, I WAS SO EXCITED !! I reacted as though they sent me a letter stating I was accepted and classes start tomorrow!! but, this was just the information catalog in the form of a HUGE book that looks like a dictionary.

I'm really thinking about doing this.  Why not take my photography to another level and expand my horizons??  I brought the book with me as I drove around the city today.  Just to show it off and say "No. I cant. I have class tomorrow" haha.

I'm going to think long and hard about this. Well, not too long because I'd like to start in Fall but I'll keep you posted.  Heres a few photos I captured of my beautiful, Huge, catalog/ dictionary. & yes. He already received his own mini photo shoot. :]

                        

    Do you see my hand print on the book??  Isn't that soo cool?? 

Its Friday !!!! Enjoy your beautiful weekend everyone!!!

Eh. what can go wrong??

I've been working on a lot of things lately.  Had a Maternity Shoot, a First Birthday party, "A Year Already" photo shoot and I started spending time at a photo studio where I've been able to catch up on a lot, but of course, NOT my blog.  I don't know what it is. Maybe I'm putting too much thought into it.  "am I entertaining my readers?" "am I keeping it interesting?" "is this even interesting enough to write about?".  This is supposed to be my 'diary' [ I use that term loosely] and I L.O.V.E. to talk, so why not let it come out naturally. Eh. what can go wrong??

So, here's a sum up, in photography terms, of my recent work  :]


                                Maternity Shoot, which was so much fun !!

                                                Davians 1st Birthday, Great times, Great times!

                                               A Year Already - Enjoying the nice outdoors !

Weeks almost over.. Enjoy it!! :]