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I wanted to share a quote that I read recently. Sometimes I will turn to a book of quotes and read them for inspiration in life and in business. Especially in the times where I’m behind and the light at the end of the tunnel seems to be getting smaller.
- There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way.
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- Christopher Morley
US author & journalist (1890 – 1957)
As I read this quote I realized why I love my (so called) job. Its not only because I get to make my own schedule or because I get to do what I love for a job. It’s because it enables me to live the life I want to live. When I’m at destination wedding, road tripping with my friends on a wakeboard shoot or on my own chosen adventure, I realize how lucky I am. I have never based my success on how much money I have in the bank or material objects that I may own. It’s always been based on life experiences, time spent with family and friends and all the good-times and stories that I have from them. In my mind, when I’m 60 and sitting on my porch in Mexico watching the waves come in. It’s not going to be what I’ve bought, have worn or what I could have done business wise. It’s going to be about my friends, family and all the memories I have from them!
August 12th, 2007
Today I shot a senior session with Caitlan in Coeur d Alene. I’ve been looking forward to this for awhile now because I love photographing something new and fresh. Not only that but she is a great student, great kid and times have been tough recently for her family. So a good friend of mine told me that Caitlan was going to skip senior pictures because of these hard times. I was like, “yea right, I’ll photograph her”! She is such a gorgeous girl with a bright future ahead of her, there was no way I was gonna let that happen.
Well today was the day and I had only planned to spend an hour or two on this session (still trying to catch up), but we ended up shooting for about 4 hours ! We had a blast and I think these pictures show it!
These next two shots are from my new 50mm f/1.2!
The image below is from my 85mm f/1.2. These two new lens’s are amazing! I think I might sell all of my zooms and just go with fixed lens’s, they are so sharp with great color!
August 2nd, 2007
I wanted to share this image that I shot the other day while I was in Sandpoint, ID. As I was shooting a lifestyle session the sky decided to share its beauty to all who could see it!
July 28th, 2007
Yesterday was a good day! UPS delivered my package from B&H that I have been waiting for all week. I have been wanting these two new lenses since last year when Canon announced them. My biggest hesitation was the price and if these lenses were worth the LARGE set back financially. After numerous chats with my photog friends across the country and more recent situations where I wished I had a faster lens, I pulled out the American Express and went for it!
I purchased the 50mm f/1.2! This lens is amazing! I just picked up my camera this morning from the camera doctor (a little senser cleaning was in order) and threw these lenses on right away. I then called out the hottest blonde in town to come out back for aquick photo session. I’m not quite sure if she was into it because here expressions below arent to exciting. None the less I wanted to try out this 1.2 f stop to see how shallow the depth of field really is ( For all you non photogs out there, thats a little shop talk. If someone wants to know what depth of field is let me know and I can explain later.)! Well, look at the photo below of Madison. The only thing in focus is her eyes!
After that she just wanted to lay down and soak up the sun. I tried to get some expression but I think she knows I have a wedding all day and I wont be home. Therefore she decided not to cooperate. But I shot photos anyway. The ball in the foreground is her favorite one and I even tried to entice her with for a little expression…..but nothing.
The other purchase was a 85mm f/1.2. This is one serious lens! I love it and the weight and feel of it adds a nice balance to the camera. The front lens element is very impressive, the focus is a little slow compared to my zooms but the quality is unsurpassed. After our first shoot outside I brought Madison into the house. Once again she came in and layed down on the floor. There was no way she was going to cooperate so I just shot what I could. This image was shot at f/1.2 as well.
None of these images were photoshoped at all! Everything is straight out of the camera! Can’t wait to use these two lenses today!
July 28th, 2007
Hello everyone. I wanted to post my schedule for the next couple of weeks so everyone knows where I’m at and why I have not gotten back with you. So hear it is….
For the rest of the week I will be shooting lifestyle sessions, I will be in and out of the office. Thursday and Friday will be my catch up days for all my editing and returning emails/ phone calls.
From June 1st – 11th I will be on vacation with very limited if any email and phone access. I’m headed to southern Utah for a little R&R with friends. We will be backpacking through Escalante, Canyonlands and Arches National Park. This is my favorite area to get away from it all. There is nothing like red sandstone cliffs and no communication from the outside world. I’m going to be taking this time to reflect on my business, my new marketing campaigns and spending some quality time with old friends.
I will return on the 11th and then its right back to the grind of Lifestyle sessions and weddings. After my wedding on the 16th with Meagan & Ryan I’m headed to Sheridan, WY with my dad (oh and the 18th is my birthday if you want to send a card lol). We are going to be photographing a native american tribe from that area. These images are going to be used in a coffee table book in the near future. I’m really excited to be assisting my dad on this shoot. He is the leader (possibly in the world) in wet plate photography, which is the type of photography done in the Civil War. The images are actually recorded on a piece of glass. I will post pictures from this shoot when I return from this trip.
The Sasquatch Festival at the gorge was amazing!!! Besides the crazy wind that delayed most of the show! But the wind turned out to be a good thing. Instead of Micheal Franti & Spearhead playing for 25 minutes on the main stage. They were moved to a smaller stage where they were the last to perform on that stage. Which means they played all night! 2.5 hours straight and even outlasted the Beastie Boys. So while everyone was pilling out from the main stage they filled in the Spearhead area for one last song and it went OFF! Lets see if I can post a video that I took!
I hope everyone had a great weekend!
May 29th, 2007
Just got an email from the ad firm that they are already using the wakeboard lifestyle images. So check it out below. I also just got back from Bend, OR and I had a blast. A lot of Coeur d Alene friends came down for our buddy Scott’s 36th Birthday. I will post some pics from the Bend wedding soon.
May 21st, 2007
Well I have been going non stop, traveling, shooting, booking weddings for 2008 & 2009 and I’m headed to Bend, OR today for Kelly and Tabitha’s wedding. Thursday, I meeting with some potential brides and Friday I’m headed to Mt Hood to get one more ski day in this year. I can’t wait.
On Monday I spent some time shooting one of my brides for this year. Her name is April and she has also been a friend of mine for awhile now. If all goes well one of the images is going to be gracing the cover of a magazine. I need to thank Jaime Johnson for pulling all this together for me while I’ve been out of town. Make up was done by the one and only Julie Farley at the Makeup Studio in Spokane. Flowers were provided by the Art of flower aka Carissa. Carissa is by far the best and most creative florist in the area. Although she doesn’t have a website I can put you in touch with her. Just send me an email. Our gorgeous gown was provided by Storybook bridal in Hayden, ID. This is a new high end dress boutique in the area and their stuff rocks!
The shoot only had one mishap and it wasn’t Jaime’s fault (because she rocks and doesn’t make mistakes). The hair person never showed up to do the up do! Which put us back an extra hour and a half! Luckily April does hair for a living and I had her just put it up clean and simple (no reason to stress about things that are out of your control). My instructions for this shot was to keep the background simple and bright. With only having 1.5 hrs to shot till my light was gone I headed out to some farm land and went for it.
Let me know which is your favorite.
May 16th, 2007
Yesterday I hoped in the truck and head south to Salva & Dallas’s pad in Moscow, ID. They both are graduating this year, moving and planning a wedding! Man, talk about a busy month! Anyways here are some shots from the Lifestyle session, Enjoy!
I’m off to Seattle today! I have some wakeboarding to photograph Thursday and Friday ( Oh, if you go a out and buy the New edition of Wakeboarding Magazine I have two images published in the issue.) this week and I’m assisting my friend Joy Marie Photography with a wedding on Saturday. I’m really looking forward to this! I can’t remember the last time I was an assistant at a wedding!
May 2nd, 2007
Whats great about this time of year in Coeur d Alene is the music and summer pubs. Monday nights at the Parkside Bistro my friend Cris Lucas shows up and plays all his wonderful music. If you have not heard of Cris Lucas please check out his site. Even better buy a couple CD’s of his and I guarantee you will love them. I enjoy his music so much that I asked him to write custom music for my website. I’m always a big fan of supporting local talent (although he has traveled the world playing music) and I was even more happy when Cris agreed to my request. Thanks in advance Cris!
Anyways, I shot some images from Monday nights show that I wanted to share. Enjoy.
Every once and awhile the owner of the Parkside will show up and join in. Check out Kevin dropping the funky beat.
April 18th, 2007
It was two years ago today I started Sean Watson Photography. It was a very difficult decision and a very crazy time in my life. I had just been button hooked from my previous investor and thrown out on the streets. He basically used me to create a brand and a name for the company and when it was running on its own they hired someone cheaper. I was really shocked and angry on how they delt with the situation. But now they now its not the name it’s the photographer. They are no longer in business doing photography, isn’t karma great! At that time I did not have anything but 2K in my account and a roof over my head. I remember telling myself not to make any drastic decisions. I took a week and really thought about what direction I want to go, did I want to go to New York and use my connections to work as an assistant for Walter Chin? Or maybe I should move to a town that is lacking strong photography and open a studio and take a run for it? I began talking with my family for advice, then all of my photographer friends and local vendors. Basically I wanted to hear their input on my options, were they crazy? Did I have the money to do it? Or the support?
I then began realizing how many great friends I have in this area. I’ve been networking for years here and have began to really build a name for myself in this area. Not only that all the vendors, friends and family trusted me and my work. Why would I leave this support group? Why go to New York and live in a concrete jungle? Why move to a new town and “try” to make it with no money? When I can stay here with the people that care and love me, not only as a friend but my work as well. Once I made that decision I still had a huge obstacle to over come……equipment. How was I going to find 20K to get myself up and running? Luckily my family believed in me and my skills as a photographer. Without that loan I would not be here! In fact I always wonder what I would have done, or where I would be without my families contribution?
Now, two years later my business is thriving! I doubled my business revenue from last year, I’ve traveled the world photographing weddings, I found my “style” of shooting, I know twice as many photographers from last year (which really has helped me get more business), I’m making a name for myself and I’m teaching a photography workshop with one of the “Top 10 wedding photographers in the world!” David Beckstead! WOW, I have been so blessed!
I first and foremost want to thank my family for allowing me to pursue my dream!
All of my past and future clients, thank you for all your support and trusting me to photograph you!
I want to thank Jaime Johnson.
When I went out on my own Jaime was the wedding coordinator at the Davenport Hotel in Spokane. I begged her for work, told her I would give her whatever she wanted for marketing purposes, even come down on occasions just to photograph table tops and place settings for her even though I wasn’t there to shoot the wedding. I would do anything if she would just say ” Check with Sean Watson and see if he is available”. Thats all it takes, one person recommending your services. Jaime and I have become really great friends and I value her expertice, our vendor relationship and most of all her friendship! Jaime thank you for helping me get to year two and I hope I’m doing the same for you in your new business!
I also want to thank Adam Graves of Range Northwest.
I’ve known Adam for almost as long as I have been in Coeur d Alene, 6 years. His company has helped me build my brand, my ad’s, print materials, logo and list goes on forever. I can honestly say that without RANGE I would not be where I am today in this photography food chain. They have given me the look and brand to stand out against my competitors. Throughout the years we have also become friends and fellow Eagle brothers. I photograph his family and his families family. He sends me commercial work and is my number one stock photo buyer. He’s also my biggest expenditure, but its been money well spent. So thank you to the whole Range crew, Mindy for making sure my stuff gets done on time, Eden for always recommending me and talking so highly of me and my work (oh and that sweet mining shoot), Shelly for always creating fantastic ad’s and designing my logo and brand, Ben for creating my kickass website, Nancy for not hounding me when I’m past due (lol) and Adam for always steering me in the right direct.
All my photographer friends!!!!
First off Joel Riner (fellow Eagle brother) for teaching me almost everything he knows, Ben Norwood for always being a good friend and influence, Kibbee Walton for going out on his own(now I have someone who can take off with me whenever we want) and always listening to my crazy business ideas (oh he’s also a Eagle brother too), Brett Schneider for teaching my how to photograph people and make them look good. Man the list goes on and on so if I did not mention your name that means I have not heard from you in awhile so give me a call! lol
Man, this is getting really long, if you read this far congrats to you and thank you for reading. The polls that I have had on here say most of my readers are photographers. Which I think is great because I hope my work does inspire others. That is my goal! So stay tunned for some blog post that are photography related.
Time to get back to work.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY SWP!
April 12th, 2007
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