Shootout Wardrobe: Sweet Family Picnic

12.04.12 our two cents, the latest & greatest

Hello everyone!

I have to be honest… I’ve been dreaming about our Maternity and Young Family Shoot Out.  Literally, dreaming about it.  Maybe it’s because I’m super excited about this styled shoot, or because I’ve thought through every detail right down to the ribbon around the peach lemonade jar.  Either way, you should know this shoot is going to be stunning!

By now, I’m sure you’ve heard about our Maternity and Young Family Shoot Out on April 14^th.  If this is the first time you’re hearing about it, take a look HERE to learn more about the style of this shoot.  It’s going to be beautiful with lots of soft grays, greens, peaches and creams… perfect to ring in the spring.  We’ve got adorable flags, mason jars, umbrellas, peach popsicles and all kinds of props to make this shoot really stand out.

Now a styled shoot is only as good as its wardrobe. :)  Think soft, muted, airy and… spring-y!  Light pinks, greens, grays, browns, and creams will look great.  Take a look at the inspiration board below to get a better idea of wardrobe that will compliment the style of this shoot.  Wear things that make you feel great.  And accessorize!  Great accessories do so much for your images.  Hair pieces, scarves, jewelry, shoes, hats.  You know what René always says, “The difference is in the details.”  And it’s so true!

Thank you so much to the families who have already reserved their slot!  We still have a slot or two open if you’re interested!  Each shoot will be 45 minutes long and $99.  With the style of this shoot including props, wardrobe and the personality from each family, we’ll create a body of work I know you’ll love!

Can’t wait,
Jesie

For the First Time

06.03.12 our two cents, personal

Brace yourself.  We’re about to get very real over here…

Here’s the thing: we’ve come along way in the last five years.  You’re bound to after that long.

From yellow photos we thought were beautiful to how-the-heck-did-we-ever-not-white-balance photos.  From nasty, contrasty, harsh black and whites with no detail to perfectly even shades of grey.  From images that, let’s face it, make you cringe to those that make you feel… happy and peaceful.

I’ll admit it:  I’ve been a little discouraged lately.  Or at a low.  It seems as though there’s always something better out there.  Someone better.  Some better way.  And you… you are amazing.  Blog comments pour in with accolades.  Emails from viewers and photographers.  Facebook messages.  People pouring their hearts out to me. Daily I am blessed by such beautiful comments and virtual pats on the back. Yet…

Yet, this whole time I’ve felt insufficient. An impostor.

So the other night, I did something that I wasn’t terribly excited to do in fear of getting even more discouraged.  In fear that everything might look. the. same.  That it might be uninspiring.  That I might wish I was someone else.  A better photographer.  A better writer.  A better  me.

The other night, I went through nearly every blog post from 2011 and many from 2010.  And you know what?  After hours of perusing hundreds of images and Pinning my favorite images, I realized something.  Pleasantly surprised and greatly relieved, I realized something.

It was like I saw our work  for the  first time. 

At the risk of sounding completely inflated… I was impressed.  Our work wasn’t as dry as I made it up in my mind to be.  Nothing looked the same.  The lighting wasn’t as terrible as I always thought it was. The truth is…

…we have captured a lot.  A LOT.  From tattooed brides to birds of paradise to junk yards and white sandy beaches.  Nearly every type of personality you can imagine from infants to the elderly of elderly have crossed our lenses.

Sure, the compositions and posing might be slightly similar from this post to that one, but the thing is… no post contains the exact same you.  Every person, every  s o u l  is completely different.  When I look at those images I see stories.  I see heartache.  I see trails overcome.  I see your love.  I see our friendship.

And it’s YOU who makes it whole again.

It’s YOU who makes this crazy dream of ours worthwhile.

It was like I saw our work  for the  first time. 

I am proud of our work.  I am proud of how far Jesie and I have come.  I am proud of that silly 1 bedroom apartment that I used to work out of.  I am proud of every moment I’ve kicked the dirt and sighed, “How’d they do that?”  I’m proud of every time I’ve struggled to get through a shoot… when I’ve fretted about one thing or another…. lighting, colors, chemistry.  I’m proud of those times I’ve failed.  When I’ve thought, “They’re going to hate these.”  Every time I’ve tossed the camera in Jesie’s lap and asked, “Is there anything good in there?”

I think I finally understand what Henri Cartier-Bresson meant and felt when he said your first 10,000 photographs are your worst.

And I also have found new understanding in looking at the big picture….. and not letting the 1% ruin the 99%.

So, if you’re just starting out at anything… photography, writing, knitting, college, just remember: it takes a little time.  But the good news is, nothing stays the same for long.  And never underestimate the power of a break.  Of time away.  To recharge and reflect and come back and see your work for the first time. 

Press on, friends.

Love,
René

Looking Back

30.11.11 our two cents

I’m a woman of few words.

I like to just cut to the chase.  More often than not, my blog posts are short and sweet.

But sometimes, things hit me and I just have to share.  Or, if you’re my boyfriend, then I’m just sharing all the time. ;-) hah Sorry, sweetie.

Well, with that being said, I want to tell you about my friend Tj.

Tj…

She wasn’t always my friend.  I met her when I was just a wee lass at the University of Colorado, just getting my feet wet in the photography world.  I remember it like it was yesterday: Principles of Marketing with Professor Knock.  And I’m pretty sure I had to do a project on a local business… and I’m pretty sure I convinced Professor Knock that it was a good idea to use my own business. :-) Free advertising, right?

Well, my presentation came and went… my presentation on René Tate Graphic Design & Photography.

… cause clearly I understood the power of specialization. ;-)

Like I said, my presentation came and went, and it wasn’t long before I received an email from a classmate: Tj, who was in need of some family portraits.

Well.  I did her family portraits.  Then the following year, I did her daughter’s senior portraits.  Then I did her family portraits again, then her son’s football portraits, then her boudoir portraits, then a portrait session of just her and her son, then another set of boudoirs, and then another set of football portraits, and then just last week: another boudoir.

And I tell you all this, not to brag, but reiterate.

Yes, reiterate.

To reiterate an old piece of advice that is tried and true.

You see, I got to looking through some of those first family portraits the other day and was reminded how far we’ve come…

We, as in Tj and myself.

Over the course of her nine portrait sessions, both Tj and I have gone through an enormous transformation.  I have grown leaps and bounds in photography.  And Tj, well, Tj has shed over 110 pounds.

So that reiterating-old-advice-part I was talking about…

Sometimes you have to look at where you’ve been to appreciate where you are and where you’re going.

So here’s to growth.  And change.  And transformation.  And not posing people through tree branches.  And to avoiding ugly shadows on peoples’ faces.  :-)  And to extreme weightloss.

And, especially, to those old tried and true sayings…

 Rome wasn’t building a day.  Things don’t happen over night.  Patience is a virtue.  

To anyone who has ever felt stuck in a rut, this post is for you.

Much love,
René (and Tj too)

On Creating

06.07.11 our two cents

Saying it just makes me feel flighty.  I picture myself in goucho pants, green framed glasses, and and curly frizzy hair.  As if my straight hair would ever do such a thing.  When I describe myself as this word I feel irresponsible, poor, and addicted to herbal teas.  I picture a really messy office, my desk covered in papers, and a bright yellow sofa for guests.

The word?

Artist.

I don’t know why I have such an aversion to saying that word, because none of those connotations are true for myself. What is true is that I’m not just hired to document your day.  To stand in a corner and press a button when something good happens.  I’m hired to tell a story.  And yes, standing in a corner and clicking when something good happens is, indeed, a part of that.  But in telling a story, I’m also hired to know the story first.  To know that this may be grandma’s last year; to know that your father is going to cry because you’re his only daughter; to know the qualities about your man that makes those butterflies soar through your stomach.  I’m hired to know and then to tell.

But I’m also hired to create.  I’m hired because I see things in a different way than you would.  And in doing so, it is my job to create images. To see the light, to know the people, to know the camera.  To create.  And I know when I’ve created something rather than just captured it from a corner. I know when I’ve created something because that images keeps coming back to my mind’s eye throughout the day.  I know when I’ve created something because I can look at that image and be instantly encouraged.  I think, “I’ve got this.  This is a beautiful addition to their day.  This adds to their story.  No one will see this moment or this bouquet like I saw it,” and above all, “This image makes me feel good.”

And to create is something an artist does.  Even dictionary.com says so: a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria. And that’s just it.  An artist produces.  But you can only produce so much for so many other people before your inspiration dies out.  You’ve got to produce for yourself.

And you know what, I like producing for myself.  I like envisioning something and making it happen.  So I guess, I am an artist.  Deep down I know I’m an artist… Because creating images likes these below of my niece and nephews gets me excited, inspired, encouraged, and ready to create for you.  I just hate saying it…

Here’s to being an artist.