Contax 645 Review

Posted on For Photographers

I had dreamed of the Contax 645 for years. Mostly due to “gear acquisition syndrome.” I believed this camera would make me a better photographer. In the back of my head, I knew it wouldn’t, but I learned to ignore the rational voice. Six years ago, I finally reached a point where I could afford a Contax 645. Surprisingly, it did change my work for the better. With the camera, I could finally achieve the vision I had in my head. I was immediately in love! But the camera also has a dark side. I thought I would share my experience with others, so I created the detailed Contax 645 review video below. To sum up my feelings from the Contax 645 review above, I…

How to Safely Ship Film

Posted on For Photographers

Tons of thought goes into how to safely protect images for any professional photographer. Consideration is given to image protection when shooting, photo archive back-up, and even protection against hazard using cloud storage. For the digital photographer, any concerns usually stops there. However, for the hybrid or film photographer, film must be shipped to their photo lab for processing. This extra step can bring with it extra risk. But there are steps you can take to mitigate this risk. In the video below, I cover how to safely ship film to your lab. The steps aren’t about choosing the best shipping company. I’ve heard so many people complain about FedEx, UPS, and USPS. Fact is, they’re all the same. Each shipping company delivers regularly and occasionally has issues. Choosing…

Europe Travel Photography

Europe Travel Photography

Posted on Personal Work

We still debate the purpose of what we call our “European Adventure.” Brooke would say the vacation was to celebrate a milestone birthday for both of us. I believe differently. Brooke had always wanted to dedicate more of our resources to travel, so we established a travel savings account. When we could save a little extra, we would add the funds to this special bank account. With time, I came to realize three things. First, my wife was approaching a certain milestone birthday. Second, she had never been to Europe, which seemed a shame. Third and finally, we had saved a surprising amount of money. Certainly enough for an over-the-top adventure. So the plan was set – in September, 2015 we would go on a grand tour across Europe. Normally when we…

Sailing Grenada on Film

Sailing Grenada on Film

Posted on Updated on Personal Work

We finally found a break in our hectic schedules. When we were young, it was so easy to take family vacations. As my brother and I have gotten older and have careers of our own, it’s become much more difficult. However, the end of March was our time. It had been decades since we had sailed together as a family. So long, in fact, that Brooke had never been. We booked our trip and started to gear up for a week sailing Grenada (one country) and St. Vincent and the Grenadines (another country). I was excited to momentarily step away from wedding photography, and cold Cleveland. Now I just needed to decide what to bring. Step inside to see a few personal photos from our lives together, all shot on film.

Alicia and Drew - evening sunset engagement session in Kingsville, Ohio

Alicia & Drew – Evening Sunset Engagement in Kingsville

Posted on Updated on Engagement

I felt like I was running late when I left Cleveland. I pushed the gas pedal a little more as I flew east on interstate 90. Time to exit, and I headed up the off ramp. Crap! I took a wrong turn. This had to be the most confusing exit ramp intersection ever. After a couple quick turns, I was back on the correct path. The tarmac turned to gravel; just a couple more turns and I would be there. Finally, I arrived and I was a little early – just perfect. At the last moment Alicia, Drew and I decided to push back the session to later in the day. Being spring, the days are getting longer…faster. More than anything, I wanted to capture Alicia and Drew in the gorgeous evening light. Step inside see how this beautiful light favors this extraordinary couple.