I just spent 19 minutes listening through voicemails. I really don't like voicemails and I just use my phone to talk to my business partners who live far away so it's not possible to have face to face meetings.
With my friends I just like to get together with them instead of talking on the phone. It's much better that way because the phone just isn't fun.
I also use my phone to check emails and I'm gonna try and organize what comes into my blackberry so it's only relevant email and not all the forum posts and notifications because then stuff gets buried too fast because I can't sort them on the phone like I can on the computer. My text messages always get buried too and I only get them if the phone is right next to me when it comes in.
I'm super excited about so many of the new features and benefits Pictage is adding! One of which is a sweet overhaul to their website! Just today I went on there and saw some of my most loved clients and it made me smile. :D
Also, to see my pictures next to those of my heros like Colon , Buissink and Denis Reggie is incredibly humbling and I'm so thankful for all they've shared with me.
It's amazing that with the new FREE color correction service and the FREE album design service Pictage also just lowered their subscription price! I don't know how they do it!
We just landed at LAX but it looks and feels like London? Cold. Anyway, I'm happy to be back and I just saw these fun pictures on Samuel's blog and so I had to post them! What a wonderful experience and I'm so excited to see many of my new friends at WPPI!
We're just getting ready to head to the airport and head home...it's always kind of bitter sweet to have something like this end but I guess with each end there are new beginnings and I'm excited for those.
Thanks for sharing this experience with me. As I've said many times - I love you all and am so blessed to have you in my life.
...on a totally separate note there is a little Showit Web surprise here for those of you curious about some of the new features. (use your registration key to unlock it which you can get by logging into your account on the store or from the email sent to you after your order. Enjoy.
Yesterday before we left for London we went for a walk through the fog and stumbled upon Marie Antoinette's palace and gardens and they were so beautiful. It was one of my favorite sights to see and it was completely by chance that we found them. Nobody was there and Vanessa even tried climbing up the vines on the side of one of the walls.
I really like this shot I got of her walking down the road. Everything here is very surreal.
Also, there's a bit more about how this trip came to be on my friend Paige's blog. .
So I don't know where to begin... Technically today actually started with 3 hours of dancing and for those of you that know me you know that getting me to dance is like pulling teeth and getting me to do anything I don't enjoy for 3 hours is next to impossible so you're safe drawing the conclusion that not only did I enjoy it but Vanessa actually had to pull me off the dance floor! :)
....Then after not nearly enough sleep this day seemed to start again and we were off to see all sorts of art and stuff like that. I admit art really isn't something I get that stoked on but Vanessa knows how to do the museum thing. She sees the important stuff and a bit of the other stuff along the way and then gets on with it.
After that we headed up the top of the Eiffell Tower and I took this picture kinda of as a memory of how this experience has been for me. Very vibrant, crazy and seemingly out of control.
Now the dinner boat....this was so fun! Right behind the tower you can hop on these super nice boats that take you through the whole city....it feels like Disneyland but it's real life! They bring out amazing wine and lots of food.
Now for the real adventure...so...after all this we hopped on a train back to the Trianon Palace where we are staying and I guess we were a little distracted because we got on the wrong train and then we got off the train to just grab a taxi back but we were quite a ways out in the country side and it was 1am by this point so there weren't any taxis or even people for that matter so we just started walking and kept walking and a French man pointed us in the right direction but we walked forever until Vanessa thought they might understand hitchiking here but the cars kept wizzing by and we were actually having a great time so we didn't really care but then all of a sudden a bus stopped! We couldn't believe it! You can see it on the short video below!
The original plan was that after the workshop we were going to go and stay in Paris for a couple of days but for some reason I really associate cities with work. I think it's because whenever I go to a big city like new York or LA it's always for work and so when i'm not working I like to get away from the pace of the city and that's one of the reasons I love living in Santa Barbara. I always tell people that I go home for vacation. :)
So yesterday I convinced Vanessa to stay outside the city at this old palace called the Trianon Palace and it is sweet! I'm so glad we came here! ...and right next to my room there is a pasture with sheep grazing and yesterday we did nothing but walk around in the rain and then ordered food and watched a movie and today we are going to the spa. These are my favorite kind of days.
Tonight we are going to the disco so pray for me because I don't know how to dance. Sara France has been trying to teach me for years! I don't think it will be a problem though because the French men have taken a liking to Vanessa so i'm sure it'll be fun!
I've been taking lots of pictures and videos but haven't been on the computer much so I've been doing most of my posts from my phone but I'll be sure to put some up soon!
One of my new friends Bruno Mayor had his brother Frederic Mayor make this video from the photo shoot we did around Paris on the first day of the workshop and it's so awesome! We had a blast taking pictures at all these different spots! Check it out!
So today the workshop ended and it's really sad to say goodbye to everyone because after spending three solid days with this group we became really close and they are wonderful.
After everyone took off Vanessa and I headed to the city for dinner and then we wandered the streets for a couple of hours and Paris is really beautiful at night. Then after we were exhausted we decided to find the train to get back but when we found the right train the machine to sell tickets only accepted coins and so we went back down the street to a McDonalds that was open and got a huge handful of coins to buy tickets and then headed back to the station but we still couldn't buy tickets and a nice lady came up and told us that the train stopped running at 12:30...lol...oops
Tonight after the workshop we headed straight to the north of France to have dinner with a group of photographers. Those of you that know me know that I need time to get away, time alone to refresh and I really haven't had that in a couple of weeks now. So I admit I didn't go into tonight with the best attitude.
So we arrived - looked over some photos and then had a nice dinner. Near the end of dinner a photographer came up and through some broken English and some translation shared the struggles she's having being a young female photographer. I was taken back. It's hard for me to relate, understand or try and give advice in some situations but somehow Jean, me, and Vanessa were able to really encourage her.
And what I realized was that this is something that every single person in the world can do. Ya see it didn't take any background or special knowledge or understanding...all it took was the willingness to get over myself and be fully there with her. We all have the power to lift people up and it can really change their world... and I can't remember a time I've felt the way I did after that conversation. Seeing hope in her eyes was such a gift to me. .
Sleep is definitely not overrated....today was great though. We started with some Freedom talk at the beginning and then went out around Paris for a photo shoot. I'm exhausted though so i'm crashing! :)
Well here is some funny travel stuff that I just had to post since I've been up since 1:30am and can't go back to sleep. :)
Yesterday when we arrived at the airport it was pretty funny to see our two bags...can you guess which one is mine?
and then we got in and went straight out to see Paris and I'm so glad we were able to sleep on the flight because otherwise I would've been so dead yesterday. I didn't used to be able to hop off a flight and go straight out but I don't think traveling wears on me as much as it used to.
On the flight they gave us a little pack of travel stuff which was nice and it had a little thing to put over your eyes and so I snapped a photo of Vanessa sleeping. lol.
And then once we got here Samuel and Jean O'Kane assumed that we were a couple so they started having us pose in front of all the monuments and we just giggled b/c we didn't want to tell them that we just met. :) ....but then we had to tell them and there's a funny story but I have to get ready for the workshop now.
At 8:40 this morning we took off for our trip to Paris and it's so nice to go to the airport and not have delays or flight cancellations. I actually get a bit tense when trips get lined up back to back and it's amazing how everything always works out.
On to the fun stuff...well...I thought about how I was gonna explain this and I really didn't have any clue so I tried to tell the story in this video. It really is as crazy as it sounds.
I know that many people have pre-conceived ideas as to what these sort of situations involve and that was my biggest hold-up but those of you who've traveled with me know that who I am and what I believe doesn't change based on the situations I'm in so I'm excited for us all to live this crazy random adventure together!
...and when I was out in Texas I got to hang with Kevin Swan and one day at the tradeshow me, Kevin and Nathan Holritz went around giving mini tutorials on some of Mac's coolest features. We even showed Apple how cool their computers are!
Don't miss this video and other great videos coming from Kevin's New School Photo.com
It was not easy but I am thankful to be a little closer to SB. I only have one day at home before I have to hop on another plane to Paris. I'm so happy that I get to make it home tonight instead of tomorrow. Thanks for the all the support and prayers!
I am trapped. On my way to San Antonio I flew through Denver and it was very cold. I've never felt weather that cold and so I knew that something was wrong.
Then once I got to Texas the arctic blast really hit and now there are 18,000 people here without power and people are sleeping in their cars because they can't find hotels. The airports have been closed and all the flights got cancelled.
The schools are closed - all the restaurants are closed, the roads and airport are closed.
But it is kinda cool because I get to see my friend Megan on TV. She is the weather girl here in San Antonio. We went to college together and worked on all sorts of photo and video projects before she moved to Texas. I'm so proud of her. She was someone who really inspired me and encouraged me to go after my dreams.
I really like the PPA show and actually I really like the whole PPA organization. I think they are doing a really good job in providing resources for photographers. They have a huge student section to their website which is really cool - StudentPhoto.com
...and if you're a member you can see tons of articles and I see they have some current ones with a bunch of OSPers! - Jose Villa, Garrett Nudd, Bob Davis and maybe even some more! Check it out.
We've been having a great time out here but I've gotta tell you that it's super cold and so I don't really wanna go outside much. It's been in the 30's most of the week. Yikes.
Tomorrow is the last day and I might try and get a flight home tomorrow night instead of Wednesday morning because I only have one day at home and I miss my bed. :)
oh yea...It was cool to walk in and see the shot of Jasmine and JD right at the entrance. I love that shot.
I had a great conversation with my friend Jaime Rau, who is a wedding photography and the road manager for Sara Groves...and we were talking about how crazy all of our lives are now days and how nothing seems to be "normal."
Then we got to thinking - who really wants a normal life anyway?
There's a great saying,
"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention to arrive safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: Wow!! What a ride!"
Are you living or simply existing? Are you watching life go by and having a "near life experience" - Step out of your comfort zone! you don't have to start big but do something different - something scary - something where you can't control the outcome.
Organization is not really something I enjoy and so I admit things often slip through the cracks.
Earlier this year I found a $500 check in one of the books I read but it was a check from a year ago so it wasn't good anymore...and then this morning I was looking for a pass that Pictage had mailed me for this tradeshow and I found this pile of receipts and I thought it was in there but it wasn't...but what was in there was my Pictage check from last month for over $3k - I'm stoked! It's like free money - kinda!
I've had the treat of spending more time on OSP the last couple of weeks and I love it. You all are amazing!
This morning we reached a milestone of 3000 members! I'm super excited about 2007 but I'm kinda bummed I'm gonna miss you guys at OSP-W because I have a brooks workshop but we're gonna try and make up for it by having the first ever OSP-Euro "Dude!" It's gonna be sweet!
One of the things I rant and rave about the most is the bio on websites. I think the tendency for most photographers is to make it a resume and so they go on and on about all this photo stuff that (IMHO) the client doesn't know or care about it and all it does is create a separation of your world and theirs.
I think a bio...actually...I think a (service) photographers entire website should be about who they are and what they do should naturally flow through.
Today I came across OSP's lovely Christina Louvierre's website and it has an awesome bio so check it out! ...and wish her a happy birthday too!
My advice - Think of your whole website as a bio. .
I'm working on breaking out of the year by year mindset and trying to plan my career instead of just my year. To do this I realized that I need large chunks of time to think and plan (my play time) and so I've gotta condense my "work" schedule in order to do that.
You can see where I'll be on my website under the davidjay section.
I always respect all of you who come to my blog and those that come to my presentations so this is a Christian artist and you guys understand that I'm a man of faith so I'll share things like this not to offend anybody but just to share with those that are interested.
Click here for his website. I'm buying everything he has! He's fantastic and I heard him on our lovely Crystal's MySpace.
One of my favorite things about traveling is that I'll go out and work during the day and when I come back to the hotel room it's all made up and clean. It's so awesome!
So one of the best decisions I've ever made was to get a housekeeper. :) It's amazing. Seriously. You have to try it. It took me two years to actual get around to it but now that it's happening I'm in heaven.
Yesterday I was in LA hanging with J* :) and I came home and my place was spotless! My clothes, my sheets, my towels were all washed and folded, my dishes were cleaned and put away...
and they even organized the refrigerator (which is important - otherwise I wouldn't be able to find things)
Thank you for the love and support all of you shared below.
I love Anne Sexton's quote "The joy that isn't shared dies young." All of you make my life rich and meaningful and I'm so blessed to have you guys to share it with.
There's a neat story I read the other day about a little boy who was trying to lift a heavy stone but he couldn't even budge it so his dad asked "Are you sure you're using all your strength?" The boy said, "Yea, I am!" His dad said "No you're not...because you haven't asked me to help you."
One of the best lessons I've learned is that I can't do much on my own. In business or life I've realized that to accomplish anything great you must have a team and you must ask people to help you.
This wedding was no different. Dane, Jules, Brett, and the dozens of others involved in this production made it the incredible wedding that it was. All I had to do was click the shutter.
For the past 3 years I've had weddings on New Years and it's always fun to bring in the new year that way because a wedding is really the ultimate celebration and the last couple of days have consisted of a wedding celebration like none I've ever seen.
I called in some big guns because I knew, like most big things in life, that there was no chance of handling this myself. So Dane Sanders, Jules Bianchi and Brett Austin gave up their holidays and we had the best time together! We got there at 11am and didn't leave till 2am! Whoa! If you are a U.S. soccer fan you'd know who the groom was so it was a cool wedding for me because I'm into soccer.
Here are some shots of us playing in the photobooth and their are more fun photobooth pictures on their blogs so click on their names and go see!
and at midnight they had fake snow shooting out from the ceiling and it covered everybody! It was crazy!!! :)
I just spent 19 minutes listening through voicemails. I really don't like voicemails and I just use my phone to talk to my business partners who live far away so it's not possible to have face to face meetings. 
