I had NO idea this video would be so important to thousands of people.

Apparently we photographers are considering changing brands.  I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject below in the comments.  I have to say, I have realized newer technology in our cameras do help us get the job done, however any camera model is just your tool to use.  The Fuji XT3 for me fit great in my hands.  The focusing on the eyes, zone, sing dot and how you can customize these features to your liking is unbelievable. I have nothing against any one camera name brand so this is my personal experience on the switch from Canon to Fuji XT3.

I wanted to make a video that had some answers to questions I was searching Youtube for.  I wanted to see someone using the camera on a real job.  How is the usability in the field when pressure of the job is breathing down your neck.  Those dials on the top of the Fuji XT3...do they help or hurt your performance?

Feel free to watch the video for my in depth thoughts on only a couple of weeks of ownership.  Now that I have 8 months with the Fuji XT3 I can easily say...goodbye Canon!  I'm just kidding.  I would never say no to any name brand after my experience trying out another brand.  I was a Canon user of 25 years so this was a big deal to me.  The one thing and I do mean ONE THING that helped my decision making is a little lens adapter called the Fringer Pro.  This thing allowed me to keep using my Canon lenses on the Fuji XT3.   Now this is crazy because it really does work. 

I guess you can say I have it made since I don't loose any lenses but the only thing you need to remember is the crop factor of the Fuji XT3 since it's not s full frame camera.  I know what you are thinking..."Not full frame...I'm Out!" I do not miss full frame one bit because with the correct lenses on your camera everything else works the same.

I love change as long as it is for the better not the more difficult.   The Fuji XT3 has been an amazing addition to my creativity and usability on real jobs.  This is what my Youtube channel is all about actually.  I show my subscribers the real deal.  I'll show actual jobs in progress so you'll see my working conditions then I'll show you final results that are delivered to the client.  I may throw a vlog in there to change it up every once in a while but I'm a full time working photographer that loves to motivate and create.

My next video will be a long overdue follow-up to the video above. 
Title: Canon to Fuji XT3-8 months later 

No matter what camera brand you are married to...Stay Focused on Your Dreams.
Dreams become goals once you take that first step in the right direction.  I hope I can motivate you to earn a living doing something creative you love. I see a gazillion photographers everywhere, but not many earning a living solely on photography. This is my well earned career that is shared with you in every video. Create - Motivate - Keep Rockin Forward

​See you in the next vid...P E A C E :)

This blog post is personal.

I have been around life and death all this year.  I'll be 48 this year and I just can't help but wonder where do I fit in this space and time.  They say, "Life is Fast!" - but it isn't for most.  Life can be hard, depressing, uplifting, fascinating, wonderful, mind blowing, confusing, dumbfounded, inspiring, loving, filled with anxiety, and most importantly self fulfilling or self loathed.   So many of these things happened to me just this year.

I'm exhausted.  I'm emotionally drained yet super charged to share this post with you.  
I truly believe that life is either what happens TO you or what you CREATE for yourself.
Both of these options are equally hard to deal with.  When I'm dealing with life happening TO me...I'm confused, angry, hopeless and depressed.  When I create the life I want I find myself working so hard in fear to protect what I created, so I still lose sleep, I'm still anxious and I can never enjoy the moment long enough because I have to create the same if not better every day.

The one common factor of both situations is money.  Life is so depressing when you NEED the money and can't figure out how to fix it. When I have money I love that relaxed feeling of bills are paid and I'm not losing sleep over the next job that may or may not come through the door. When I have money I love helping others.  
Money is the one drug that always needs a fix or has you on such a high for life it feels unstoppable.  

Life and death. Life is for you to DO something amazing in this world for yourself and others to benefit from.  Death is something your loved ones have to deal with for the rest of their lives. Whether you live or die...you affect someone else somehow...some way. 

I choose to create a life my children can become because it's all they know.  They only know love and support from all angles of the family.  My children do not know hate, segregation, white privilege or any other negative thing you see on the news as if we are all rolled into one grouping.  My children know compassion, self awareness, kindness to others, self gratification from hard work ethics and most importantly love.  They see Elizabeth and I love each other.  They see the hurt and the pain of life and how it affects me and Elizabeth, but they also see how we get through it together. 

I'm typing this post as I think of the words, so forgive me if the context or spelling isn't spot on. In a world of everyone wants to be PERFECT...I just wanna be me ya know. You the reader deserve something real from someone who is going through the exact same thing you are.  Life and death.  Both are painful. Live today as if there is no tomorrow.  How would you be remembered from your actions today?

Yesterday morning my daughter Ellie walked outside and said, DAD COME SEE! This image was right before the sun was rising in the distance.  This is the time frame that mimics a sunset because the ball of light isn't in the sky just yet. It's almost like the universe is showing you a preview of what kind of day is to follow.

Naturally I ran to my camera and snapped a quick image showing the beautiful radiant colors the dawn sky had to offer.  You hated to see it go as the sun rose over the horizon, but it was a simple reminder to take in all the beauty around you WHEN IT HAPPENS! 

The one thing I have always cherished with my job as a photographer was having the ability to notice everything around me.  I see the world in many different angles.  I notice a lot of emotion within people, nature and animals.  We all have this crazy place in the world where we need to evolve, thrive and survive. Somedays I just want to enjoy the the colors in the sky ya know.  :)

I truly don't have a better title than "I'm so Angry" right now.  The world lost another wonderful soul today and he was in his early 30s.  Cancer was the demon that stole a young photographer and husband from all of us.  Lee Lopez was a positive force that saw people for who they were and treated you like a best friend when you were the real deal.  I'm blessed to have our recent family portrait created by Lee because his memory will forever be seen in our images.  Our smiles in the portrait are there because we were smiling at Lee.  In our midst of crazy family chaos Lee had a sense of humor that made you smile, relax and smile some more.  Photographers like Lee share a gift that cannot be duplicated. I will NEVER understand why bad things happen to really good people?  I truly thought Lee would prevail in his fight but the good Lord had bigger plans for Lee.  
Lee- you will be missed but NEVER forgotten because I know our smiles in our family portraits were all because of YOU!

Please pray for his lovely wife, Hilary as her world is forever changed.

I was at the beach last weekend and all I could think about was how difficult life can be.  I had an entire vlog I wanted to create but I found myself creating something inspirational.  I figured someone needed this video today.  Please let me know in the comments if you needed it today?  :)

Events that come to New Orleans are always unique to say the least.  I get to see industry leaders talk about their business and future business plans.  I think it's so cool that the same conversations we are having in my business is the same types of discussions in theirs.  We are all setting the pace to move forward and change with the times.  This is an important factor to every single event I cover.  Keeping up with the times is more difficult now than ever before.  Whether you like or dislike social media, as a business you better be doing it.  

I love being an event photographer here in New Orleans because I make friends with people from all around the world.  I just direct them to my Youtube channel and follow along.

Recently I watched someone get talked down to and it made my blood boil.  Just because you have more money than the other person does NOT give you rank! Even if you did have rank, speaking to another person in a demeaning way isn't cool.
What and How your words come out of your mouth is exactly how other people will remember YOU. I had to make a video so you can share it with someone who needs it.  :)

Well, it's another school year and I have to say, I'm not ready for this chapter.  When your kids are all in school life is hectic yet easy.  They all live under your roof. We all share meals together.  We laugh at the dumbest things when everyone is being silly....all of this will be different sooner than later.   Elizabeth and will look at each other a certain way when the kids are doing something memorable and we both know times are changing.  I remember being younger wanting that larger than life story to happen for me. 
I used to think of all the time in the world I had to make any dream come true in my future.  To think I'm living that future right now is exciting and scary.  Do you ever feel like you aren't exactly living your dream life as an adult? 

I can tell you this for certain..."Today is the first day towards the new chapter in your life IF YOU WANT IT TO BE!"

I know self motivation is the hardest thing in the world sometimes, but only YOU are in control of YOUR LIFE.   If you want a new job start searching and stop complaining about the one you have.  If you want a new car but you are broke, stop buying coffee and put $5 a day in a jar for a down payment on the car you really want. If you are tired of you...then create a NEW YOU! You don't need a gym to get fit, just go outside start jogging, cycling, walking fast, push ups on your front door step, etc.

The coolest thing about us humans is how we can literally change our surroundings when we want to.  You are the most talented and gifted mammal on this planet and you dwell on is what you don't have in your life.  Today, my life starts a new chapter with the kids back in school.  Julia is a high school senior.  Ellie is a freshman in high school.  Jack is 4th grade.  I am getting older yet always reinventing myself.  Life is good.

It's not my fault I'm aging but my inner soul is still that younger version of me who wants to create everything in life I deserve with hard work.

"Today is the first day of the rest of my life!"  Today I choose to attract the positive and destroy the negative.
Let's do this thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!