I’ve dragged my feet on this and my mailbox has been filling up…so for now…here are a few more of your questions and my brilliant answers

Do you hire someone to do your portrait work?
No, we do all our own work at weddings and so on! There was a moment in time I felt to hire out those family sessions because my heart was just not into them. The stiff standing at the alter music stand, flag, crosses and other stuff photos. I really went through a moment and I had to address that issue! I’m a firm believer if you are not passionate about what you do it shows, and it did show, in our family sessions. So I had to face facts and dish out a tough lesson to myself and now, our sessions are rocking. It’s not my most favorite part of a wedding, but my brides and her family still desire these images and my job is to make sure my bride gets what she wants. That said. We do our own portrait sessions!

Where is the most exotic place to shoot?
I think anywhere there is passion is exotic! But if you are talking location. For me, wow, Israel, Italy or Spain. But honestly it’s not always about location but about attitude, you can be in the most absolute wonderful place in the world and your attitude is not right and wow, it can ruin anything. Love, Romance, Passion can make a back yard in Cleveland Ohio amazing. It takes an amazing photographer that can capture that emotion, anyone can take a snapshot, but to know how to capture that intense moment between two people in love that spark, that glance, that kiss, now that takes talent!

When did I discover my love for photography?
Well, my last blog of questions I talked about my father raising me with a camera in my hand at age 8. But, my passion for photography did not start there, I enjoyed what I did and I loved to take pictures but my passion started when I began to shoot people in 2001. When I started to watch people through the lens and capture that smile, that look, that glance. When I stood whispering to myself “come on, come on, do it, smile, do it” waiting for the right look and being prepared to capture it. Then came digital, one of my hardest moves to make but once I did, I got so excited about photography my passion began to grow!

What gear do I use?
I use only Canon gear! Now, before all you Nikon fans get mad at me, I’m being real. I started on a Pentex and grew into a Canon, there is no reason for me to leave and I love it. Right now I own the Canon 40D, I consider Canons consumer mistake and has now been discontinued. It’s a mistake not because it’s bad, but because it’s that good of a camera, it’s low light ability is amazing and it’s fast shutter and focus ability make it an amazing reception camera. That being said, I’ll be ordering the 5DmII shortly and moving up to full frame, I’m excited about that! I have to lenses that I love: my 24-70 (aka the brick) and the 70-200 (aka the block) I’ve been using the 70-200 more then ever lately and it’s a sharp sharp lens. I have a canon grip and the 580x flash!

How many hours at a function?
If you are talking weddings I can do an easy 12 hour day. I start when my bride wants me and finish generally an hour or so after everything has been done at the reception. It’s a long day and if you’re not lovin’ what you do, you’ll be hating that time spent shooting. I love it, in fact my partner will have to tell me at times “enough” because I’ll just keep shooting, you never know what you are going to capture.

What software for editing do you use?
I’m the Adobe Lightroom Queen. I love LR it’s where my images first go, then after that I take them into Photoshop CS3 for anything special I’d like to do.

Am I single?
This came up a couple times and it just made me laugh, nope I am not single and no I am not looking either! I am happily married with three children and one amazing grandson! I love my life, I have a great life and I feel very blessed!

What album company do you prefer?
Last year we made the choice to stick with one company for our albums and that choice is Memador! An amazing company that offers excellent customer service and a wonder array of product. They are an upper level company with an superb product that draws the attention of other vendors when we are at shows. I’m very proud of Memador.