The Knot Best of Weddings 2009 Pick

WE DID IT AGAIN!

How excited are we?? We are proud to announce that CRAIG PHOTOGRAPHY has been rated by local brides and voted The Knot Best of Weddings 2008/2009 Pick. Please pick up a copy of The Knot Best of Weddings 2009 magazine and check out our listing.

Moment

Current Reading: The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner
Current Music: Heartplay by Charlie Haden & Antonio Forcione
Smells: Chili
Mood: Full of life
Sounds: Noise
Temperature: 68 degrees

Thoughts: I'm not just sweatpants and cookie dough

Dreams and Imagination

Sunday afternoon driving back to Pittsburgh from Philly on the turnpike – this is my view from behind the wheel of my car…

Bright blue sky, white clouds lined with a pink hue and golden sunbeams breaking through the clouds. All of it lining the horizon as far as the eye could see. I drove into this sight for about 48 miles of straight highway that lead into the Blue Mountains of PA. This was a painted landscape directly out of a Disney movie, it was that grand.

In the trunk of my car I had my camera and tripod but I never stopped to photograph this view. Yes, it was killing me at first but I wanted to get home to see my daughter after three days of being away.

Two phrases kept repeating in my head:
- Art is here to give people the opportunity to dream.
- Art is the dialogue of the imagination.

I am not sure if these are original thoughts or random sentences from past readings. Either way, perfect words for the experience.

That is what I did, dream and imagine.

Photo of the Week

Camera: Nikon D200
Exposure: 15
Aperture: f/22.0
Focal Length: 24 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0 EV

Taking Off

Friday – Late night wedding photo shoot

Saturday – Meeting up with friends somewhere in PA???

Sunday – Nikon School in Philadelphia

P.S. isn’t this a cool pic..see you next week!!!

Photo of the Week

Camera: Nikon D200
Exposure: 30
Aperture: f/22.0
Focal Length: 24 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0 EV

Having Purpose

This is a photograph of my father and my grandfather. I did not know my grandfather; he passed away before I got to know him.

The photo is 65yrs old and has purpose, real sense of purpose to it. The connection I have to this photo is hard to place into words. It holds my past and is rooted in my present. I am most likely older now than my grandfather was when this photo was taken.

The photo sits on my nightstand and it is the last thing I look at before I turn off the lights. It is the first thing I see in morning when my alarm clock sounds.

When I look into this photograph I imagine a different photo that nobody else gets to see. I see my father standing behind the see-saw and my nephew, Dominic, his first grandchild, seated on the see-saw. I see myself standing in front of them taking this picture.

My photography career has progressed, I am older and I am now the father. This is the type of photography I want to create. Work with a purpose to generate a memory that grandchildren and great grandchildren will get to place on their nightstand.

To my grandfather, I am glad I know your face…I will meet you in heaven.

Craig Photography Creative Photo Contest Winner

As we mentioned before, the winner of our contest was Jessica and her husband Matthew. Their idea was to re-create 2 old photographs of Jessica's grandparents that they took of each other while on their honeymoon.

We thought this idea was very sweet, nostalgic and purposeful. Jessica and Matthew are planning on hanging all 4 photographs in their home.

We had a great time the day of the shoot. Jessica and Matthew were so much fun to hang out with. The shoot took place at Roland's in the Strip District because they have a set of windows that were similar to the windows in the original photos.

Let us know what you think!

Moment

Current Reading: The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Current Music: WYEP.org
Smells: Blueberries
Mood: Happy
Sounds: Bell and Whistles
Temperature: 44 degrees
Thoughts: Be culturally significant and have confidence

Updates

Saturday ~ Photographed the contest winners (photos to come). Great time, great couple, great project…this project had purpose.

Sunday ~ A film crew follows us around on a shoot for our first promotional-documentary video about us.

Monday morning ~ work, need sleep, must work but need sleep, coffee, coffee, and coffee….repeat!!!!

All your “How To” question answered

Use a tripod
Lowest ISO possible
Eat your vegetables
Exercises
Say your prayers
Keep a journal
Meditate
Repeat

This Stuff Can Not Be Made Up

Last night I was driving behind a mini-van on my way to the gym (of course it is always a mini-van). The driver had to come to a complete stop every time they had to use their turn signal, EVERY TIME on a two lane road.

It took me an extra 15 min to get to the gym, but no road rage at all…it was just too damn funny to get upset over.

At the gym I am swimming laps. Standing on the edge of the pool is a very large man in a tiny blue Speedo swimsuit. Yes, eye-scaring but also it was quite impressive to see how far that tiny blue Speedo fabric can stretch.

At this point I am about 15 minutes into swimming laps and the large man in the tiny blue Speedo standing on the edge of pool is starting to stretch…yoga-pose-type of stretching. I start screaming in my head “please God make it so I do not look”. My prayers were not answered. I looked and more eye-scaring images burnt into my head.

Next - large man in a tiny blue Speedo swimsuit Jr. comes out of the locker room in matching tiny blue Speedo. Now I am hearing circus music in my head. The Mini-me lad meets his Dad at the edge of the pool and they start dancing like Irish Leprechauns.

Ok – the Leprechaun part is made up but everything else happened.

Recommendation

A must read: By Julian Walker
The Masks of God:Introduction to Forthcoming Book!

City Night Gallery

See updated gallery photos (here)

Camera: Nikon D200
Exposure: 8
Aperture: f/22.0
Focal Length: 15 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: No Flash

Moment

Current Reading: The Art Instinct by Denis Dutton
Current Music: The Church: Under the Milky Way
Smells: Leftovers
Mood: Sense of connection, a communion with the creative process
Sounds: Too much noise
Temperature: 46 degrees & sunny
Thoughts: Branding yourself authentically is a personalized service of photographers today.

Question - Art or the Artist

Thank you to all for answering my question yesterday. The bulk of responses is on my Facebook page. Follow the conversations over at Facebook about art or the artist… Let’s be friends….

Question

Is it more important to understand the art or the artist?
~ comments needed for a project~

Photo of the Week

Camera: Nikon D700
Exposure: 0.067 sec (1/15)
Aperture: f/1.6
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Exposure Bias: -1/3 EV
Flash: No Flash

Joe the Ugly Art Critic - Short Story

In hindsight it is essential to look back when traveling across the country without a destination.

Its dusk, my motorcycle is hot from the day’s drive. The two water bottles strapped to the back fender are warm but drinkable.

I sit next to my friend who has lost in the DNA game of chance. No redeeming qualities to this man. He lost before his life even began.

My friend’s name is Joe and Joe is ugly. Not in the typical sense of letting-himself-go type of ugly. He is ugly on a skull level and there is nothing you can do to fix that. He is not deformed or structurally damaged, it’s just that he has an odd shaped skull. Joe is a good argument for evolution stopping abruptly and skipping over the few remaining people standing in line.

Why did I ask Joe to travel with me? When you’re ugly people notice, when your job is to criticize people notice. He is an art critic who preaches about the end of modern society. “Nowhere left to go on the ladder of life when your job is to judge creation itself”, that’s his motto. Not a happy person. The essential humanness that ties us all together is void in Joe’s life. I find that interesting.

The song lyrics “I’ve been through the desert on a horse with no name” will not stop running through my head. I hate that song. Joe has insulted 32 of the last 35 people we have met. His motorcycle keeps breaking down.

“Twelve hundred touring sportsters for the traveling motorcyclist! it is the Porsche of the motorcycle world!”, he keeps yelling that at the top of his lungs every time the bike breaks down. That’s what the saleslady told him as he wrote a check of 15,000.00 dollars for this lemon on two wheels. My bike is a loaner from my cousin. I think he paid $750.00 for it eight years ago.

Joe gets off his bike and steps to the edge of the cliff that we have parked our bikes on. He looks at me and says “write this down: God used to live on this Earth. He got tried of everybody picketing outside his window. Observation is fundamental to making sense of this ever present moment of now”. Then he fell back off the cliff, ending his life.

“Hindsight is essential” is all I could to say….goodbye ugly art critic Joe.

Photo of the Week

Camera: Nikon D200
Exposure: 20
Aperture: f/22.0
Focal Length: 24 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0 EV

Business Plan & Mission Statement

Priority and goals (Revision)

At this point in my career I am thinking about 10 to 20 years down the road and sustaining a business. Growing a business is the easy part; you work your ass off and then repeat.

My goal is: “Smart Growth” – building a next-generation business. The goals listed are about who I want to be rather than what I want to have. Intentions lead to outcomes.

Work with a purpose
Servants heart
Give without expectations
Undeniably good composition
Balance professional & personal lifestyle
Satisfying & educating clients
Increase earnings & contributing to the wellbeing of others
Community & environmental responsibility

CREATIVE PHOTO SHOOT CONTEST WINNER

Hello Everyone! We are excited to announce that JESSICA WHIPPLE is our Creative Photo Shoot Contest Winner! Jessica had an awesome idea--she has 2 photographs of her grandparents on their honeymoon--one of each grandparent taking a picture of the other grandparent while sitting in a booth at a restaurant. The pictures are so nostalgic and lovely. Jessica would like to re-create the photos with her husband and hang all 4 in her home.

"These are my favorite two photos of my late grandparents because I can really sense the excitement and love they had for each other. This is how I want to remember them." Thanks Jessica for such a great idea! The shoot will take place on March 21st and we'll be posting the pictures shortly after.

CONGRATULATIONS JESSICA!

Moment

Current Reading: Seven Days in the Art World by Sarah Thornton
Current Music: No Line on the Horizon by U2
Smells: Strawberries & coffee
Sounds: Silence
Temperature: 43 degrees & cloudy
Thoughts: Art is purposefully limitless or endless possibilities???

Living Room Series

This happens when somebody asks me to take a photo using there camera…

We're in Whirl Magazine!

Hi Everyone,

I'm so pleased to tell you that a few of our photos from a recent wedding got published in Whirl Magazine! Check IT out!!

Scroll to Sue Carris & Jason Mazzoccoli.

Photo of the Week

Rooftop Sanctuary – Short Story

Not again…fighting, screaming, yelling…why can’t they do this when I’m not home?

Crawl out my window onto the fire escape and I go up to my rooftop sanctuary to numb myself from this noise. At the age of 12 I shouldn’t even know what the word sanctuary means, nonetheless need one.

My sanctuary is nice. It sits atop the city skyline that overlooks traffic, Point Park and in the distance I can see the river. A grass rooftop, real grass, real dirt, Mother Nature three stories up in the city sky. I have a Chesapeake chaise lounge chair, again something else I should not know the proper name for but my mother is sure to remind me to refer to the furniture by its correct name. The lounge chair is placed underneath solar panels so there is always good shade for me to relax in. Wind chime, bird feeders and an herb garden; the sustainabley-eco-friendly trifecta of a sanctuary. I even get internet up here.

A glass of lemonade, laptop, ipod, headphones and I can forget about the sounds of my parents’ lives falling apart underneath my feet.

What and why of all of this: My father had an 8-month affair with his sectary. How unoriginal, I like him less for being typical. He blames the affair on my mother’s crazy eyes and her constant neglect of his opinion. Not that bad of an excuse, truth be told.

Two parents with only three things left in common; stuff, how to get more stuff and most importantly how are we going to pay for all this stuff.

The stuff part works out ok for me. I am 12 with a rooftop sanctuary that gets internet. I want for nothing. I ask for everything. As long as I can live with the dysfunction beneath my grassy feet everything will be ok. I hope.

Moment

Current Reading: Sum:Tales from the Afterlives by David Eagleman
Current Music: Virginia Creeper by Grant Lee Phillips
Smells: Apples & coffee
Sounds: Typing key and background noise
Temperature: 12 degrees with Flurries
Thoughts: Intimate series by Elizabeth, is great work.