Middle of Febuary? Already?!

I know I know its Febuary and its been awhile but it's a new year and things have already been going better than the previous. I've been running around doing work for a few websites, portrait sessions, and brainstorming ideas for some personal work which I'll get into later. The website has also gotten a few small upgrades with the in between time that I have had. A noticeable improvement is the Proofs/Store section to my site. I'm still in the process of configuring the Store section because of available print and quality options. Also, I configured the site to look, and operate better in full screen mode than it had originally so if you find time...Hit that F11 key when your on the site to get the full experience.

Also updated were the transitions and a new menu. I'm having a problem deciding what kind of layout I want for the 'Eye Candy' menu. It has been a thorn on my side to try to make it exactly how I want it. Another push to move towards Adobe InDesign? I think so...

Speaking of 'Eye Candy'....Through some networking I realized that there are a lot of people using some form of the words 'Eye Candy'. I have gotten used to having my URL and am quite happy with it, but it's time for a change. As far as what the new URL for my site will be? Probably something a little more simple.

Another needed change is the look of my business cards. Overnightprints.com did a great job of handling my order but I feel like I have grown out of the look that my current business cards have. I want these new ones to reflect where I am now and where I'm headed. I have some great ideas for it involving different textures which can manipulate light. I am a photographer after all and a business card is the only first impression you get to make sometimes so I want it to be amazingly unique.

Now onto the personal work. At the beginning of the year I told myself I wanted to publish a book. I also told those around me that I want to make this book a collaborative effort between me and other artists. I put the idea in the back of my mind to focus on other things. A couple weeks later I was fortunate enough to meet someone who is passionate about their form of art as much as I am about mine. We have already started to get the ball rolling and I'm extremely excited about it. Thats all the info im giving out about the book at this time so when I do another update I'll be sure to shed some more light on it.

Another collaborative effort I have in the works involves another photographer and my dream car. Needless to say I'm excited about that one too haha.

I like how life conspires to get you where you want to be so in saying that, I want to thank everybody now who has supported me and what I do. Even if you visit my site for a minute, I'm just happy you made an effort to get there. LEH GO!

I Want Flow...

So I listen to a lot of Hip-Hop and R&B and was out running an errand with my girlfriend. I was criticizing how some artists have the potential to be great, but there are nuances in their vocals in relation to the track that just aren't right.

For an example I'll use Lil Wayne considering he just got out of prison today: From his Lights Out album, which was the first Wayne album I ever purchased, to Carter III, he got progressively better. His metaphors kept getting better, and it's like he finally figured out where and when his voice would sound better at a certain point in the track. "A Milli" was outrageous, and the fact that he recorded parts of that song as a freestyle in a hotel in Amsterdam is a testament to how good he has gotten over the years. (Proof)

During that car ride that my girlfriend and I were taking, we were also comparing some new rappers to older ones. I swear...the next song that came on the radio was Jay-Z's 'Hard Knock Life'. After the song was over there was a long pause, and the first thing she said to me was "I'm sorry, but nobody can rap like he can". THATS the damn truth...

Jay's flow is ridiculously good...period.

So what does this have to do with my photography? Well a couple days later I was having a conversation about my photography and where I would like to go and some of the ideas I have. The comparison between the growth of rappers like Jay and Wayne was brought up and how it related to what is going on with my creativity. I realized I want a flow. A flow that no one else can compare to. A certain style of images that is unique to me, and only myself.

I want to do something amazing.

Bottom line is...I want my flow, and I'm not going to stop taking pictures until I know I got one. Even if it takes me a long ass time...although I hope it doesn't haha.

Keep Creative.

Getting out of the quicksand...

It's been almost 2 months since I've updated my blog and I'm pissed. I'm more pissed at myself than anything else. I just can't believe how much I've been procrastinating solely because I pride myself on working hard, and working towards my goals. I set myself a goal to update this blog at least twice a month when I started it and lo and behold, that hasn't happened. Theres been some creative road blocks here and there, and I think it's time for me to step my game up once again. My hustle has withered down to a slow creep but my brain has been churning out ideas for future projects like crazy. Projects that have largely been inspired by the music I listen to,how that music is always changing for the better, and how I'd love for my creativity and the subsequent images to do the same.

I have been looking at my past photos and have realized that I need some sort of an overhaul. I want more color, more emotion, and more of a statement. I want my images to connect to people and I want to create an image that makes you go "....WOW".

I also want to be able to look into a popular magazine and find one of my pictures in the centerfold...but baby steps Mario...baby steps....

anyway

Since my last update, I've been published on BBC.com under one of their weekly photo contests titled "Back to Work" where a self portrait was chosen. Big thanks to my number one supporter for sending in the picture to BBC without me knowing ;)

Lastly, I finished editing the photos I had taken for an organization called Pitbull Centerfolds (www.pitbullcenterfolds.org) in mid October and am waiting on a reply to find out when the calender is finished for publishing. It's very exciting to be published in a calender, so I can't wait to see what It looks like!

So yeah, until next time, KEEP CREATIVE.

Shoot with Paul and upcoming things...

So much for that update huh...Been so busy with work and trying to do new things lately that I forgot about my blog for a bit. I've gotten some new equipment but still nowhere near where I want to be. As always I make things work (shout out Tim Gunn) with what I have and my images always end up great right from the camera.

For example, this shoot with Paul inside of a giant yellow pipe. At first things were a little eh. Had a miserable day at work and I had planned to shoot earlier. Got out of work later than I had expected, hit traffic, and had to turn around at some point to get the property release form for the shoot that was left behind. Oy vey! I showed up a little grouchy but ready to get down to business. Since it was getting dark I had some trouble focusing which was driving me up a wall. My biggest enemy was time. The shoot was planned in just a few days and I relied on daylight too much. I fixed the low-light-focusing situation and thankfully that will never happen again.

As for the upcoming things: A variety of Pit-Bull Terriers and their respective female owners, a bar in Hoboken, a firehouse in Little Ferry, and a calender.

More about it in my next post!

Small Update:Triggers Fixed! Upcoming Shoots...

Fixed the situation I was having with my wireless flash triggers!

Finally ready to get things moving once agian.I have a small 'warm-up' shoot planned this Sunday that has to do with a giant yellow pipe that I pass everyday to and from work. After that, I have an enviromental portrait to shoot that will include a horse, hay, and a good old friend of mine. So things are definitely moving. The U.S. Outworkers shoot went well but the owner and I are still working on the final stages of post.

Time to sleep...

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Renegade's Live Show & Some Jibba Jabba...

Hello once again world(a.k.a. small audience). Every time I get put under pressure I always find myself exceeding my own expectations. Case in point,this live event with a group called Renegade at the Cobblestone Village in Mountain Creek (RenegadeHipHop.com) It was an album release party and it went very well. Not only for myself but for Renegade. What caught me by surprise was that I never would have imagined there are people this good in my town lol. I was feeding off of their energy and having a great time.

I am pleased with the images that I posted...BUT....since I am a perfectionist in a way I couldn't help but think of what I could have done better.

*Lighstands could have been weighed down, better wireless equipment, better lenses, more wide shots. More, more, more, better, better, better*

To be honest thats what goes through my head every second before I open the shutter. The best part was that it was noticed by some of the people around me. Whether I was running around and asking people to scoot for a place up on stage for a shot I had in mind, or pointing fingers and giving instructions, it showed and it payed off. Having some issues with my equipment didn't stop me from snapping as many photos as possible of course. And I was able to reach out to a few people and spread the word about what I do. I only wish that there was a way to show everyone how passionate I am about what I do(and CAN do) with a camera in the time it takes to say 'Hello'. Thinking about building my portfolio and just having the word 'Hello!' in bright bold letters on the cover,I guess thats one way of doing it...

Anyway, I have been asked to take some photos of Renegade once more and am looking forward to that experience again!

As far as these upcoming shoot ideas,still in the works. Like I tell some people,"You can't rush greatness." Hoping to get some things done next week and have the images out to the public that following Monday.Keep creative people.

Renee's Shoot and Big Things Poppin...

First of all,let me sum up this shoot with two words, Good times.There's a big reason this shoot was so important to me,as it was one I had planned for a long time.It was also the first shoot I needed a property release for which got me pretty nervous.The best part about it was that I couldn't have asked for a better location.The owners of the property were very pleasant when I spoke with them and I was free to use whatever I had to,so before I go on any further I have to thank them one more time for letting me use their property for this photo shoot.

I pass several barns around here in my town and have been thinking about getting a model and setting something up. Small jobs here and there have been keeping me busy but I have never gotten around to setting things up like I had to do with this set.

First of all, I had given Renee some criteria for what she should be dressed in and she showed up in exactly what I had in mind and made everything go by so much smoother. Having my girlfriend and a friend of mine there to help also didn't hurt,so HUGE! thanks to them also.

Last but not least these past few weeks a friend and I have been in talks of setting up a few projects for ourselves to benefit our portfolios.We have some wonderful ideas in store and I'm looking forward to getting this out to the public as soon as I get the chance! Basically we'll be shooting some faux ads. These ads will help build my portfolio, Paul' s, and those of the models/makeup artists/hair dressers we may be using; will let me expand on my skills and style as a photographer; and give me a great amount of creative freedom. If things go as planned you should be looking at about a couple dozen of new images by the end of the summer! Wish me luck lol.

It's been a while,but I'm keeping busy...

Wow...long time no blog post huh...

Where do I start? Lets see, there's no reason for me to talk about what happened in April, considering there wasn't really much activity that month. But man, once May came around the proverbial ball of creativity was rolling. My birthday came around on the 8th and my girlfriend and I headed down to Seaside Heights (no fist pumping involved by the way). The beach, be it freezing cold or blazing hot, is a great place to collect yourself and get the creative juices flowing. From then on, May was filled with random hikes through the woods, scouting locations, and shooting what great things came my way. So much of my work was inspired by the growth of greenery around my location. Spring and the start of Summer never cease to amaze me in the amount of colors they respectively bring with them. Even after a rainy day, it's hard for me to stay inside and not enjoy what is out there for me to photograph. Example: for about 16 years or so, I've been passing a patch of amazing scenery and it finally tempted me enough to take a hike and capture a part of what it has to show. I parked the car about 100 yards from where I needed to be and spent an hour hiking that 100 yards! The greenery was up to my chest in most parts and it was apparent that not a single human being has been in that area in years. The moment I captured does not even come close to doing the scene justice. Spring is an amazing season.

Anyway, a trip to a reservoir and a forest-seldom-seen later, I'm on the verge of photographing a model at one of my scouted locations. It's going to be a traditional American Farm shoot and I even plan on posting up a 'behind the scenes' video of sorts to put up on facebook and on my website. It'll give you an inside look of what it's like to be in a shoot with yours truly. Hopefully everything goes as planned and I blog post again at some point next week.

Until then be on the lookout and keep creative.

The Soon-to-be Zink's & Sophie's 2nd Shoot

It's been quite a long time since I have blogged.Spring time is finally here but for some reason we cannot get a couple days of sunshine without it being followed by torrential downpour and flooding.So I've been keeping it low key for awhile and still managed to come up with some new images here and there.

Anyway, it has been almost a month since these two photoshoots were shot and I have finally got some time to write about them. Fortunately I was lucky enough to squeeze these two shoots within a weekend and hammer out the pictures fairly quickly. I had another nervous issue before the shoot with Renee & Kevin for some reason, even though I knew there was nothing to worry about. My mind likes to play tricks on me by making me think I'm not good enough for scenario's such as this one.For example,it was blindingly bright that day.The sun was at it's highest with an overcast,and about 90% of the ground was covered in snow.Not an ideal shooting scenario incase you were wondering....I was thinking I'd be lucky to get 2 images without anyone squinting as if they'd just walked out of a cave into direct sunlight.(Although someone did do a great job of not showing it!)

BUT,like anyone else in less than ideal conditions,I adapted, and made the best of it.

Actually Kevin & Renee were so easy to work with so it wasn't just ALL me lol.I really don't think it could have gone any better than it did.They're personalities compliment each other in a way that made me become a better photographer.I'll sum it up in my two favorite words...Easy and Enjoyable.

Before heading to Park Ridge to Renee & Kevin I traveled a little ways across town to meet up with Kristina and her daughter Sophie.What can be said that I haven't already said about this little girl? For starters she had be cracking up throughout the duration of the shoot.I can't believe how smart and energetic this little girl is! It was another easy job to do and I really do think that the images came out better this time around then they did before.So far Kristina has sent all of my images of her daughter to 7 agencies and has gotten a call back from 4 of them!Way to go Sophie!Looking forward to seeing her on TV in the next couple of years.

Shout out to my cheerleader :-)

Shoot with Sophie!

Let me start off by saying that I have never shot a toddler for a portrait before.That being said...WOW! What a task!
I've always remembered the famous saying in show business, that you should "Never work with children or animals". Just because they're unpredictable. As a photographer photographing a child,in my opinion,this saying could not be farther from the truth.I had learned that to get what I wanted from Sophie,I just needed to let her do her own thing for the most part(with a little push from her mom).She was very smart and capable of understanding direction.I was making myself nervous by thinking about it too much before the shoot. As soon as I walked in the door and saw how adorable this little girl was,I knew it was in the bag and we were going to get some shots to be proud of. The shutter kept going and everything was feeling great...of course until spongebob squarepants came on.Distractions and a childs restlessness do not mix,lesson learned.

Overall we came out with great images.Sophie was the cutest and funniest little girl I've ever met,her makeup and hair were perfect[thanks to her mother],and my girlfriend,Chrissy, did an amazing job handling my requests and being a wonderful assistant.