Photography Love

I LOVE PICTAGE PHOTOGRAPHERS!

Since I connected with Pictage last year, I have met people that are nothing short of amazing. These photographers are so much fun to be with and are so open to sharing with each other.

This Thursday evening I held a Q&A session on the Pictage Forum. There were some great questioned asked and some of them really made me think through what I do. After the session I met up with a group of Pictage photographers in the San Diego area at the Beach Bar at the W Hotel in downtown. I had so much fun seeing some people that I've known for a little while now and others that I just met that night. Thank you to everyone for coming out! We're definitely going to have to go back there next time I'm in town.

Here's a few of the pics from that night.







Since then I've had a little time to think about why I love what I do so much. It's the PEOPLE. Since I've began this business I have met some of the most amazing people. My clients have been spectacular and my photography friends have been energizing and supportive.

All of you are making every day of my life better!

THANK YOU

Childrens Photos

I had the amazing privilege of taking pictures of the graduation ceremonies for four-year-olds, five-year-olds and kindergarteners. My sister works at the preschool and helps teach one of the kindergartener classes.
They had their ceremony last week and it was so cute. The four year olds wore bonnets and big-bowties. The fives wore neon sailor hats with their names on them and the kindergarten class waved red, white and blue streamers in the air while singing their last song.

I'm so glad I had the chance to do this. I'm hoping to do more children's lifestyle sessions in the future.

Let me know if you would like your child photographed.

Check out the slideshow here ---> Childrens Photos

Keri + Adam

Keri and Adam have been so much fun to work with. A few months ago I shot their engagement session at the Royal Palms Resort and we had so much fun that they decided to fly me out for another session in Vegas. Since then I've been waiting for their wedding day. That day finally came around and I had a blast!

Here are a few of my favorites









You can download their iPod slideshow HERE

Check out the slideshow here ---> Keri + Adam

PartnerCon Votes Needed

Registration for Pictage's PartnerCon started today and I'm really excited. I submitted for speaking at this year's conference and I hope it works out. If you are a Pictage photographer make sure you don't miss this event. It was part of what helped launch my career in this field.



When you register you are able to vote for the speakers that you would like to hear at the conference. I would love the opportunity to speak and could use all of your votes.
I'm at the top of the list, so make sure to check it!

May Newsletter

I hope you have all enjoyed this month's newsletter. And if you didn't receive the newsletter by email then you're not on my list.
Make sure to signup by entering your email address in the box to the right side of this blog.

Newsletter Page

An Alternative Wedding Gift

I know a growing number of you are interested in something different from a traditional wedding registry. I think a perfect alternative to grabbing another registry scanner is to select a non-profit organization for your guest to provide gifts to.



One organization that you might consider is Thirst Relief International. Thirst Relief who was started by fellow photographers Jim and Lara Davis-Hicks. The organization's goal is to provide humanitarian and disaster relief to those in need worldwide through the provision of safe, clean drinking water.

It only costs about $50 to place a water filter in a hut or home and it works for the life of the family. How cool would it be for your gifts to supply clean drinking to multiple families!

I'll be setting up a special webpage on my site with instructions on how you can get involved! For now Email Me

Newsletter Coming Soon

Just wanted to remind all of you new to the blog that I'll be sending out my May newsletter soon, so make sure to signup by entering your email in the sidebar entry of this blog ---->

And here's a cute picture to get you all excited!!

Thirst Relief International

While at the WPPI (Wedding and Portrait Photographers International) conference in Vegas I had a chance to do something really cool!!

Davina Fear, another awesome wedding photographer arranged for some one-on-one sessions with photographers. She asked if I would mentor for a few sessions and I of course said YES!!

The focus of my sessions were to help answer questions pertaining to personal marketing and presentation. A big passion of mine is to get people as excited about my photographs as I am. I think it really gets people excited about life and I'm happy to share that excitement. I showed them some of my information packet pages, DVD cases and iPod slideshows to give them some ideas on how they can get their clients excited.

I had an awesome time mentoring Brody Dezember, Kevin Meyers, Millie Holloman and Davina who all donated money for their sessions. In all honesty they should been mentoring me since they've all be doing this longer than I have. Thanks so much guys! It was a lot of fun and I can't wait to do this at the Pictage PartnerCon in September.

Ok, so here's the biggest part of all of this!!



This whole thing came about by Davina trying to find a way to raise money for Thirst Relief International. Thirst Relief who was started by fellow photographers Jim and Lara Davis-Hicks is an organization who's goal is to provide humanitarian and disaster relief to those in need worldwide through the provision of safe, clean drinking water.



So out of this last minute event, Thirst Relief had over $1000 raised to help change 200 lives!! SO AMAZING!!!

Thanks so much for your effort Davina, Jim and Jeff Jochum (who provided a space for us to meet in)!!

Click HERE if you are interested in getting involved!

Homemade Apple Pie

Here's to the game of catching up!!

At the end of March I had some wonderful visitors from Palm Springs.
Tobi Bratcher and Mellany Miller came out for a day to talk more about using iPods for proofing. We had lunch at my favorite local Irish pub, Rula Bula and then spent the afternoon hanging at a downtown Tempe coffee shop.


Tobi and Mellany are a blast to be around. They have so much energy it's crazy. I'm sure that it won't be long before they are leading up the Palm Springs area. I originally met both of them in Santa Barbara at the Pictage User Group launch while I was visiting my friend David Jay. They drove all the way to Santa Barbara for the PUG group using pure adrenaline from what I hear. ;-)
Well after I saw them in Santa Barbara, they also made their way to the Orange County PUG for the night that I spoke about using iPods! Apparently that got them going and they wanted to hear more.

So, all of that to say that they came into town and brought me an awesome homemade apple pie. It even had "Thanks JT" written on top!!!



So Cool!!! Thanks guys!!