What's Beyond Point and Shoot?

I'm honored to be moderating a panel next weekend at InterPLAY (get your wristband today!) called "Beyond Point and Shoot: Taking Better Photos". The excellent panelists include myself, Raquita and David Grey. We each have different backgrounds and photographic goals, so expect some interesting discussions!

Since the world of photography is so vast, I'd like some community help in deciding what we should focus on. There are a few main topics that I think would be interesting:

• Why and how you should use photos
• Getting started with photography
  
• Improving the quality of your photos

What would you like to hear discussed? Please leave a comment and let me know!

An Afternoon at Bethlehem Valley Vineyards

This month's Sauce Magazine insert features a photo story about an afternoon at Bethlehem Valley Vineyards. Dan, Connie, family, and guests who came and went all afternoon were so friendly and hospitable to all five of us who drove out there.

This article represented many firsts for Sauce and me:

1. Sauce has never done a story quite like this, to my knowledge.
2. I've never worked with a stylist before. Rusty Conklin did an amazing job. I hope I get to work with him again!
3. I have never had miniature horses try to eat my lenses.

I treated the shoot as if it were an event or wedding: I got pictures of details, the setting as a whole, interactions, and emotions. After driving time, six hours of shooting, and time spent processing the RAW images from the shoot, I provided the assistant art director, Meera, with 651 photos. These included cows, horses, tractors, grapes, vegetables, meal preparation, an antique truck, and 17 photos of chickens.

Let it not be said that I fail to provide choices to customers!

I'm not quite sure how Meera narrowed it down to the nine photos she used, but I couldn't have been happier with the finished product, a result of everybody's hard work:

Jackson Hole Wedding Photos: Meagan and Stephen's Wedding Photos

My wife Stefani and I were invited to be guests at my cousin Stephen's wedding to Meagan in Jackson Hole, Wyoming (where she's from). We stayed in Denver with them last year just before Stef broke her elbow when the saddle slipped off of the horse she was on in Nederland, CO. That trip was memorable not only for our time spent in the Boulder hospital but also because it was the first time we got to meet Meagan. She's as charming as could be, and she and Stephen are perfect together. We couldn't be happier for you both.

Meagan and Stephen hired Denver-based Jared Wilson to do photography, and Jared brought along Shannon Kaple to help out. They did an amazing job capturing the event.

Since Stephen is family, I couldn't resist asking if they'd like me to bring my cameras and take a few extra photos at the wedding. They thought it would be a great idea. By "a few extra photos", I apparently meant over 1300.

A note for other photographers and guests attending events: When I am not the official photographer and I bring my gear along, I first make sure that the photographer(s) do not mind if I take photos. If they agree, I do not use flash and I make every effort to stay out of their way - they need to get the shots; I do not. Please extend your photographers this kindness and courtesy if you are a guest with a camera!

From my seat and roving a little bit, I got a bunch of wedding pictures that I liked. Here are a few of my favorites: