JAMES HODGINS PHOTOGRAPHY

One thing  I like about our industry is that you get to meet some great people from all over.  I find it very easy to get along with other photographers because we all have the same interest……..photography.  Curt O’Neil found my website by association with my other photographer friend Mark Ridout.  Mark photographed Curt’s wedding last year, and when he noticed my website mentioned on Mark’s blog, he decided to email me and say “what’s up?’  Being a fellow photographer I told Curt to give me a holler the next time he is in our area and we would get together and hang out.  And it’s exactly what we did.  I thought I would write this blog while Curt was here and set it up to post later this afternoon when I  drop him back off at his car.  What a great day we had talking shop, comparing weddings and marketing strategies.  I feel like I did all the talking and never gave him a chance to speak, but it’s because I have soooo much to say right?  We hit it off right from the start, like two peas in a pod we was.  It’s friendships like this that make me thankful that I am a photographer.  You just can’t put into words what good friends are all about.  What a great guy Curt is.   I am truly enjoying the conversation we are having right now in my back yard.  Even as I type this he is getting something from his car, a gift of some sort I guess.  He said “be right back James, I have present for you.”  I wonder what it is?  Anyways, I better get off the computer before he (*&*()&YJl;lk[0

While I was on my commercial shoot today a bunch of us where going through my phone looking at the various images I have uploaded to it.  We had a good laugh over my “Mining Maniac” image that I believe I took somewhere in Utah (It was somewhere in the States) years ago.    I remember finishing the actual image we needed for the project and while taking a break I asked “Miner Moe” to make a crazy face like he was playing an Xbox, because the controls he was using was controlling some heavy equipment, it reminded me of a video game.  Anyways, I think that was the birth of my first Hodgy Humor image.

What a fabulous day it was today.  Not only did we get to document another amazing Sudbury Wedding, but we also got the chance to hang out with some great friends at the same time.  I have known Mark since high school, we fished together, hung out at the clubs (way back in the day) and we pretty well hang around the same crowd.  Today he married his beautiful wife Sheri at her parents property on Long Lake.  Well, it’s no hidden secret that Mark like’s to fish, any time, anywhere, any chance he can get.    Even today I played a little joke on him telling him I won a free trip to Alwaki Lake lodge for 3 people all inclusive fishing trip, but we had to leave tomorrow (knowing full well he had an after wedding brunch at his in-laws).  Well you could see the wheels turning in his head, I knew what he was thinking, the same thing I would have tried to figure out.  “how can I get out of brunch.”  We had a good laugh about it.

After visiting Sheri’s place in the morning we quickly learned that there were LOADS of opportunities for wedding photos.  She had it all, sheds, fields, wooden bridges, huge tree’s you name it, this property had it.  So why rush back into the city when we had our little paradise here?  Bridge?  If there is a bridge, then there must be a creek?  If there is a creek, is there fish? LOL.  Anyways, to make a long blog short, we all thought it would be funny to have an image of Mark fishing on his wedding day.  So we put a Hodgy Humor spin on it and came up with this.  I love it when we have loads of time to get creative.

Thanks again everyone for a truly wonderful wedding.  Family, bridal party, heck even the weather was perfect.  We had a blast as usual.

Hanging out at my sisters pool yesterday for my niece’s birthday party watching my nephew jumping in and out of the pool when a simple image appeared in my head.  Wearing his goggles he reminded me of one of those bratty annoying kids that never shuts up or stops running around waving his arms all over the place.  Fortunately for our sake (and his) he is not like that, but he does take a pretty cool looking picture when he allows me to photograph him.  I only had my canon G11 but I did have a sunpack flash and pocket wizard in my trunk, so using one light source and overpowering the sun I came up with this quick shot.  For some reason, nobody else wanted to go swimming.

“SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK”

and there was no need to test the Macro function.

People should know not to dare me when it comes to an abnormal photo opportunity.  I recently purchased an under housing for my new Canon G11 that I will be using on my dive trip to Belize next month.  One thing you do NOT want to do is test your housing for leaks while you are on your trip.  So on facebook  I mentioned I should probably test it in the tub.  Here were a few of the comments.

“Please don’t post those.”

“Don’t dare him!!”

“You don’t need to dare Jamie ,he’ll do it anywho…”

We just got back from our walk about in the Windsor Downtown Core.  Still getting used to the settings of the G11, but I did grab a few cool shots.

Walking around with nothing more than a Point and Shoot Camera really get’s the creative juices flowing.

UPDATE:  Here is the skyline at night.

With over 94 entries in this years NoBs Inferno Print Competition we had to come up with some sort of method to run through the images quickly.

Of course, in the end it really doesn’t matter. Money Talks. (Thanks for the extra tip Brian)

Congratulations to all the Winners of the 2009 NoBs Photo Success Inferno Print Competition.

So.  Nashville. Photographers.  Crazy Photographers.    This will all come to make sense in the next few days.  I will start you all off with this one video and by Wednesday you will realize that I am a photographer that truly likes to help out and inspire others.  Of course, usually it deals with photography.  Joce, they forced me.  Mom, dad, I’m still your little boy. Note: do you notice how Mike Long has the walk down pat? You should see him in heels.

Here are a few images from the Inferno (taken by some members)

Team Steve Workshop Group

Steve & Shelley Receive NoBs Achievers Award(We are handing 15 awards this year to members)

(Rob, Alison, Steve, Shelley & Me)

Josh Carter receives Achievers award

(Rob, Alison, Josh & Me)

We had some awesome speakers all day today, more tomorrow, and more on Wed.

5:30 in the am and there is nothing that keeps me awake more than having one of our cats lick himself while sitting right beside my head.  When it’s this early in the morning everything is quite.  You know your house.  You know the sounds it makes.  So when your cat decides to move into the recroom and continue on with his innocent yet disgusting licking, you can still hear it, clear as day.  So, it’s early, I’m up and getting a fresh Cup ‘o’ Joe in my system.  I thought I would post a few family portraits we have done recently.  We love creating family portraits and it amazes me how long some families go without having an updated portrait.  Think of a family portrait as an investment in you and your family.  When you have a large wall portrait hanging in your house of your family, that is art.  Who would disagree with me on this?   Joce and I love the expressions on our clients faces when they come to pick up their Wall Portraits, you can tell that they know, at the moment they see it finished, that they made the right decision to invest in their family.

Now the person holding the camera laughing his butt off is my Bro-In-Law Mike (above).   2 weeks ago we portaged into our “secret” lake for some Bass & Pike fishing.  Some stupid beaver decided to damn up part of the “river” we normally paddle through so we had to carry our gear and canoe most of the way.  Lifting and pulling heavy objects through mud tends to wear you down.  You don’t think clearly, you try stupid things…..like seeing  just how stuck you can get in some Canadian Quicksand.  Now to my defense, this stuff was thick, but if you broke through, it swallowed your foot.  We only caught one fish. (of course, I was the one that caught it)