Wildlife

Well, the Eagle shooting trip to Sauk City was a major bust. I saw one Eagle but it was to far away to get anything resembling a decent shot. I also saw a Cardinal but he was again to far away. After two hours of sitting and waiting for something to happen I got up and got out of there. I drove for a while and finally decided to head back to Devil's lake and climb the west bluff. It was a nice day, sun was out and it was fairly warm so dealing with the elements was not going to be an issue. Got a few good shots, nothing spectacular but the exercise was great. After a walk on the ice and a few moments where I thought I was going in I headed back home.
Per my last post, I love searching for and shooting wildlife but I really prefer to be much farther north where things are bit more wild and where I actually know where to find what I am looking for.
I am seriously considering attending a photo workshop out west or in Canada where wildlife is more abundant. If this show season turns out to be profitable I may just look to do something like that in the fall.
Actually, I would love nothing more than to grab a small RV and travel the US for a couple of months. Go where I want to go and shoot what I want to shoot. There's no reason why I can't do this...............except for maybe a job that pays my bills and health insurance and car insurance........Arrgghhhh....do we really need all that stuff? I guess the responsible person does. I remember my youth when irresponsibility was a trait that you somewhat lived by. Hmmmm....I did it once, who says I can't do it again....

Wildlife

  
One of the things I love to do is shoot wildlife. There is something special about capturing birds and animals in their natural habitat. During the summer I have an abundance of opportunities with all of the time I spend at the lake but in the winter it becomes more difficult. I am dying to get out there again so I think that I’ll head over to Sauk City this weekend and see how the Bald Eagles are doing. I am going to experiment with back button focusing and see if it improves the quality of my shots. From what I have read it takes a little getting used to but is apparently much more effective when it comes to focusing on your subject.
I could just sit on the deck and wait for a Cardinal or Blue Jay to show up but that just feels too controlled to me. I much prefer to be out in the woods where circumstances are what they should be when you are looking for wildlife.
I am still waiting to hear if i was accepted into the Audubon art show in May. I'd like to have some new wildlife photos to show so that's what i'll focus on this week and hope for the best.

Taking a chance

I took some time in December of last year to re-evaluate my display and after looking at it from a distance found it to be cluttered and unorganized. It had too much stuff, to many pictures, to many signs, just way to much to look at.
So, over the last two months I have invested a decent amount of money to "overhaul" my display. It started with gray display covers to cover up the steel mesh of the walls. I then made the move from framed photos to standouts and canvas. I will still display a few framed pieces but I think that the standouts display much better and are something that I haven't seen a lot of vendors doing. Going forward, each display wall will carry a maximum of 3 prints as opposed to the "get as many on there as I can fit" mentality. The photos will be larger and more eye catching than before. Also, there will be many new photos on display. After reviewing my sales over the last year I think I have found what people are looking for....at least for the time being.
I have also added a heavy duty pole that will hold track lighting. Lighting was one thing that I sorely missed for indoor shows. Gone are all of the price signs as I have now individually priced every print regardless of whether it is on the wall or in the display bins. Gone are the signs with the business name. I will still use my banner for outside shows but I will be relying on business cards and brochures to promote my business for the indoor ones.
The scary part about this is that 2011 was a decent year and the display seemed to do just fine. I am looking at this as taking another step to "professionalizing" my self. Considering the money I spent it is a big risk but I am in this for the long haul and if this new display makes people look at what I have to offer in a different light then that works for me. Change is good.........I have done my research and believe in what I am doing so I know that it's the right decision.