Hello from Paris and goodbye. I apologize for no updates from Paris and will be sure to post up pics and how everything went. I haven’t had internet access here on my laptop so more updates to come. I’m leaving for London tomorrow morning. Perhaps I’ll have internet there. I hope you are all doing awesome. It feels very very odd not following all the updates on xanga for a week. I will be back in no time! =)
Steve
“You cannot be anything you want to be. But you can be everything God wants you to be.” – Max Lucado
Ever thought about reading your life backwards? It’s sort of like a history recap of where you’ve been, who you are and maps out who you are today. I’ve been learning a lot of interesting thing and the one thing I’ve actually stop to think about was taking a step back and looking back at my life. Not just four or five years ago but I’m talking about all the way back to you childhood…say like when you were five years old. So how does a five year old know what they want to be? Maybe because they really do know. You’ve heard children at early ages saying they want to be this or that one day and for some it becomes a reality. Why? Not because you can be anything you want to be but because maybe that was what God intended for your life. I used to go through life thinking you can be anything you want to be if you put your mind to it or work hard enough. “I even heard it in Nas’ music…”I know I can…be what I want to be.” It’s everywhere but the simple truth of the matter in my opinion is…you CAN”T always be anything you want to be. You may or may not agree with me but I happen to think its very true. I don’t believe you can wake up one day and just say you want to be this. The words I think that come out when you young or a child are almost very true. Not always but perhaps. Maybe it takes a few life experiences for someone to figure out what they are really passionate about. Some find out when they are 5 and others at 40. Whatever it is I think its all derived from God’s specific plan for our lives. He designed the blue print of our lives and if we try to make out own blue print sometimes…things just get out of wack. When I think about my life backwards and all the things I’ve done in life, college and now it’s all lead me back to the same path I desired as a kid. Well maybe not exactly the same path but it resembles it. At a young age I remember telling my mom I always wanted to be a artist when I grew up but I told her artist don’t really make a living. I was about five years old. I had always gone against the grain of myself because of what society determines what is successful. In college I was always in the wrong major. It’s sort of like trying to force a cube into a square slot. It just doesn’t work. Having finished college I have no regrets but if I could of done it all over again I would of majored in design. This field is so fascinating to me and every bit of it is spurred off of creativity which I love. Why couldn’t I figure this out in college? Well, somethings we just aren’t meant to discover until the time is right I guess. It sounds pretty simple but often time the thing we search so hard and long for is right under our nose all along. Spent my years in college to be a Economist? Sounds cool actually but I’m no Allen Greenspan. =)
Moreover I had a chance to shoot a few photos here and there of my friends Jenn and Amy. Both went to school with me at UCD. Amy a CRD major and Jenn a o so awesome design major. She actually designs stuff for UCD now. Pretty cool eh? She has a pretty sweet portfolio of stuff and shes definitely got a God given talent. All the photos were taken in Davis, CA. There are endless places to take photos here if you look hard enough. We shot in multiple locations in Davis and we ended at some train track box cars haha with a handy dandy off camera flash ahha. For some people taking photos can be a natural thing but for many its an uncomfortable experience or awkward. I’ve been eagerly trying to learn new ways to bring the very best out of people when taking photographs of them. A mark of a great photographer is more than just what kind of equipment they have but rather how they make people feel when they are around them. Exhibiting enthusiasm, the joy to be there and just being down to earth is enough to make people feel comfortable with you as if they’ve known you for years. For many professional photographers, they will have clients they’ve only met from a consultation and a few interactions but wont really be able to get to know them right away. It’s then your job to make them feel at ease with you and just establishing a solid level of trust. Ultimately when it comes to hired wedding photographers…they have to like you! They might appreciate your work but when it comes down to it, if they don’t like you it doesn’t matter how good you are at photography, you’re likely not to get hired. I think skilled photographers are not just about business but the passion they have for what they do. Their passion drives them and it definitely shows in their work and character.
One last blurp…success is be determined by your support group(family and friends). Basically, the people who believe in you and share your passion with you. These people are the ones who are with you when the going gets tough and are their to spurr you on in your disbelief. Hang onto these people, they will be your life line. Success, a solo star?…HARDLY EVER! =)
Paris is in less than a week and I seriously can’t wait to learn so much from Scott and Kim. I feel so privileged to be able to partake in their workshop, especially in Europe! =) When I tell people where I am going and what its for it sounds pretty wild but its a experience of a life time! =)
Reference: Max Lucado
Until next time…thanks for reading
Cheers,
Steve
Currently Listening to…
Children are among the most difficult and easiest to photograph. That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense I know. I think children are some of the most difficult subjects to photograph because getting them to sit still or to look at the camera or pay attention to what you are doing is rather difficult. For most children, going to take pictures are always a bore and no fun at all. I remember as a boy my mom had to bribe me to take photos at a studio once in order to get me to smile. Photo shoots aren’t exactly the most exciting thing for kids but parents always want photographs of their children for memories and what not. Children are the easiest to photography because they don’t consciously care or worry about the camera. They basically act themselves as if the camera never exiists. For me this is the joyous part of photographing children. Sitting them down for a family shoot is a challenge but capturing them in life’s moments can seriously be priceless to me and most importantly…the parents. Nevertheless, kids are always fun so have fun too! =)
These are the boys of a close family friend of ours and they have grown up so fast since the last time I saw them. I still remember when Kevin (the oldest) was born and now he is six. I few things I did learn from the shoot. If you are photographing children out of a studio, remember location matters. At least I think so. Why? Because you need a place that will entertain or evoke the children to be themselves and most of all find a location where they can have FUN!!!!!! Notice the photographs taken were at a playground. A familiar place to do photo shoots but its ideal for children because it gives me a chance to photograph them as they are and while they are having fun playing with each other. If you take kids to a boring location your photography will exhibit the not so fun emotions of the children based on the location. As Scott said it…Light Light Light…for kids its that too but Location, Location, Location too! =) So if you take pictures of kids, pick a fun location!
Random Thoughts:
Ratatouille is another sweet movie from Pixar! I enjoyed the story and the characters a lot!
Tell me why you love your Mac?
London & Paris…the countdown begins now (12 more days) 
Photos to come…Amy and Jenn…stay tuned
Thanks for reading
Cheers,
Steve
PS – Are my photos getting cut off when you view them? Please let me know, thanks!
FOR SALE: Canon Rebel XT…PM me for price!
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Happy 4th
Happy 4th of July to all you beautiful people! =) This was my first attempt at some firework long exposure shots! It’s a lot harder than I thought. So I started off with a wide angle lens in hopes to get some clear shots along with whats going on around it but the air display was shot so low it was difficult to get some nice sky shots. It didn’t help where I was standing either a little too far way but had no choice since the park was flooded with crowds of people. Anyways, I ended up switching to a longer focus lens and that worked out a little better since I was somewhat far away. No spectacular fireworks high in the sky over water. Boy Id imagine that would be beautiful. Most of these shots were shot between f/8 – f/16 @ ISO 100. I played with different shutter speeds to try and grab the right amount of exposure and this is what I got. Composition isn’t all that great but the colors came out beautiful! =) Enjoy and hope you all had a safe and marvelous 4th.
I LOVE THIS COUNTRY!!!!!
LET FREEDOM REIGN!!!!
Cheers,
Steve
Currently Listening to…
Living In Your Sweet Spot
“Don’t worry about skills you don’t have. Don’t covet strengths others do have.” – Max Lucado
“Just extract your uniqueness. Kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you.” – 2 Timothy 1:6
And do so to…make a big deal out of God.
Still searching for you sweet spot in life? Looking to live a extraordinary life? Looking for a Cure from the Common Life? Well…I am! I’m sure most of you would jump on this band wagon without a seconds notice but how many of us jump out along the way? Id be hard pressed to say most of us do because we are uncertain, things don’t go the way we expect them to go or maybe what we’re doing is simply going no where? Perhaps many of us haven’t even hop on board. In any case, I would encourage you to stay on/hop on and Seek Living in YOUR sweet spot in life. I haven’t quite arrive there yet but I hope to one day. Learning to live in my sweet spot doesn’t come by doing what it is I love or do best. It’s not having the perfect job, it’s not making tons of money, obtaining prestigious educations or any other sort of thing many of us hold in high esteem. Learning to live in my sweet spot comes through learning to follow God’s lead for my life. As cliche as that sounds, my life doesn’t make sense without God in the drivers seat. Take away everything tangible that we own or obtain and ask yourself what would be left? For me…I want to be certain it is My Only Hope! My will power wont be enough to get me to the end because I am merely a man. If I’m ever to become successful in what I do…God needs to be at the center. Strangely, I feel like I always have to relearn this because I am easily discredit God and quickly give myself the trophy! I once heard that “If you love something/someone so much you would be willing to let it go and if its meant to be that love will come back to you.” – unknown Read Max Lucado’s Cure for the Common Life.
So what’s an extraordinary life look like? I believe a extraordinary life is lived in faith. If a extraordinary life was so easily obtainable everyone would be on the path and that wouldn’t make it extraordinary now would it? “Take the road less taken and Trust God will come through for you…and He always does. It might not be what you want or expect but in turn its all a part of living a extra ordinary life.
So this weekend I went to DKC (Davis Korean Church) and it seems pretty awesome. The church seems fairly young with some pretty cool people around my age group. I felt very welcomed here and will be back. =) I think one of the hardest parts for me in terms of finding a church is connecting with people you have some common grounds with. I’ve been struggling a lot with my walk because I’ve been out of community for almost a year now and my walk with God has suffered. I don’t spend nearly enough time praying and meditating on scripture as I should. Why? I think I am honestly a lazy Christian and I hope to change that more. I have definitely learned many things through this struggle and its funny because I already know this but its funny how I have to be continually reminded constantly. We are all really bad listeners!
1. You cannot make it without community!
2. Accountability is important
3. You have to make the move, community wont come to you…you need to go to it and plug yourself in.
4. Don’t be afraid!
Time to get plugged in! =)
Thanks for reading
Cheers,
Steve
Currently listening to…
