The blog has moved, but still in the building!

   
     As much as I've enjoyed using Blogger, I made the decision recently to post the blog closer to, okay..., on the website for your convenience.  Being able to access more images and examples and making it easier to contact me just seemed like the right thing to do.  So even though you'll be able to read older posts here on the blogspot, from now on, you can find tips, news and whatever else I can come up with that might be of interest in getting to know McKindles Film & Photography at McKindles Film & Photography!  Hope you check it out!
Robb

Make your announcement special! Here's how...

     Just a short post today on how we can help get your news out in a creative way.  From announcing the arrival of a new baby, your big birthday celebration to your "Save the Date" info, we have creative ways to make your special announcement as special as...well... your announcement is!

Thanks for trusting me!

     We've been... I've been (I like referring to me as we...especially when I'm including my wife is the decision process) busy lately and wasn't quite sure what to blog about.  Until a recent session happened and thought it might be a good one to share since High School Seniors in Brighton, Howell, Milford and Hartland are making their Portrait appointments!  One of our most recent clients was Maggie!  A High School Senior that wasn't afraid to trust me when I came up with an idea for her Senior Portrait Session.  I had a chance to get creative (a bit) and Maggie had to try to smile and pose at the expense of my idea!

Getting more than you expected! It's how we roll!

 Ed and Kaitlin are planning their wedding.  What they didn't plan for (until we met) was that they were getting a wedding photographer, a film maker and over 700 views on Facebook!  Oh yeah...and then there's the Red Truck!  From a Save The Date film to their engagement session, Ed and Kaitlin got more than they expected!

Where's the light?! Taking better (phone) pictures!

      Last week, I decided to offer up my services to a local business owner (betting on some free Frozen Yogurt!) at their Ribbon Cutting Event!  Not only did I get some fun shots for Yo Fresh Yogurt Cafe, but I was also inspired to write this post after helping a person taking a picture with Mrs. Michigan Stacie Zotkovich!  Get your phone and get ready to see the light!!

Pretty Sky, Pretty Trees... and a Four Wheeler!!!

  A little bit technical, and a little bit not... Today's post is just to show how we do things a little different when it comes to Portraits, especially for active Seniors.  I like a beautiful sky and pretty trees like everyone else, but I also like to throw in a quad flying through the air, kicking up dust and blazing by me only a foot or so away!!!  Watch the video and see some of the images below!  THANKS FOR CHECKING US OUT!!!  (Don't forget to "follow" the blog down on the right hand side!)

Loving my own story!

     I have to be honest:  When I decided to purchase my 7D and 5DII, both with High Def. video capabilities, I did not want to use these cameras to shoot video. Wanna know how much video I shot?  (2) One minute clips of my daughter.  That's it.  For over 3 years, that was all the video that I shot.  Why?  Because I wanted to be the best photographer I could be, and not a guy that shot pictures and video.  Shooting film or video at the level I want to achieve takes a handful of different skills isn't that easy just because I create photographs.  There are some similarities, but telling stories with moving images requires a different level of technical ability and storytelling techniques that are much different than creating photographs.  That's my opinion anyway...

Filming for Bob Krause Golf (Click on Detroit)

FOUR!!! How the love of photography, God and golf and a bottle of water made my day!

copyright Robb McKindles2014

   "This is Crazy!", I thought to myself.  I laughed a little, smiled and continued trying to figure this whole life thing out.  "I'm now at a Professional Golf Tournament shooting for a golf magazine...is this my life right now?!"

copyright McKindles Photography 2014

What do you do when you have an opportunity to combine the things you love and make a career out of it?  Well, you thank God!  That's what I did while standing on the 10th tee at Jack Nicklaus's Muirfield Village Course this past week.  Combining my love for golf, God and photography landed me in Dublin Ohio doing something I never imagined I'd be doing when I started my photography business:  shooting a PGA tournament.  One of the best PGA tournaments!  15 minutes after the first press of my shutter button I stopped walking, smiled and said to myself "This is Crazy!".

To get great shots, sometimes you just have to wait! And wait! And wait!

     Neither rain, nor snow, nor (do people still say "nor"?... am I quoting this correctly?...)

Whatever it is, the weather wasn't going to stop my Senior Portrait Session with Connor. We had an end of school deadline approaching.  It rained 4 times during our session, but do you think that was gonna stop us?! Well...it could have...

In this BTS video blog, Robb doesn't shave & Dr. Adam is tall!

     In a last minute, spur-of-the-moment light bulb moment, I decided to get in front of the camera while shooting Dr. Adam Rushford's new social media/web spots we're creating to give a sort of behind the scenes  view as well as explain why we are creating these shorts for Hands on Health Chiropractic.  My wife did not approve my wardrobe or appearance, so don't blame her for letting me appear in front of the camera looking like this.  I'm just bein' a rebel film maker dude!

     I will be shaving and putting on something more professional now...

Enjoy!

Robb

Shooting a Webmercial and fancy words to make you Hollywood Hip!

Editing Body Within Webmercial/Promotional film copyright McKindles Photography 2014

     As I sit waiting for a file to Render, I thought I'd begin a post to the blog.  We're in Post Production for a Webmercial (do I get any credit for making up this name or am I late to the dance?) for my friends over at Body Within Fitness (located in Howell Michigan) which means I'm taking everything that I've shot (or recorded) and I'm now in the process of stitching all of my ideas together to create a commercial for their website, or Webmercial.

    

      Though Spring took it's time to get here in Michigan, a beautiful wedding like Josh and Meghan's most certainly warmed everyone's day.  When I first met Josh and Meghan for breakfast to discuss their wedding, it took perhaps 2 minutes to know that we were going to get along famously.  But what they didn't know was that their individual personalities and their combined sense of humor, the kind you see in a hit sit-com couple was going to make my job both easier and a whole lot of fun!  Watching Meghan and her dad walk down the aisle was especially touching since I've known Jeff since High School.  It was an honor and a blessing to spend the day with the entire family.  Ladies and Gentleman, may I share a sneak peak at Mr. & Mrs. Beeler!

How to approach your senior session.

   

     Spring is coming!  And in Brighton Michigan, we may see another day of snow melting! (We may also see a little more snow...sheesh...).  All the same, I was inspired by an upcoming consult  I have this week to talk about senior portraits and dole out a little advice.  As future brides and High School seniors alike that have met with me can attest, I never just talk about me in our meetings.  I like to share advice to get the most out of your session with whomever you choose, so why not take a break from what I've been working on to share a little more publicly... (I hear that's what blogs are about...)

Where have I beeeen?

     I know... everyone has been asking... okay... I think my sister made a comment... sort of... or maybe she was talking about someone else... anyway... I have been very busy creating a lot of video content for companies, schools, etc as well as the photography stuff.   Wanna see?...

Dr. Who? No, not Dr. Who, Dr. What's-his-name?

   The creation of Dr. Destitute!

   
   
     When we sat down to decide what season two would look like and what we had learned about season one, I knew all along that if we were/are going to make an better attempt at building an audience and not seeing this project survive, we needed to up our game.  I was also very much interested in making a little more of a cinematic push for Kokopelli man, so I had to come up with a reason to do so.  So the natural step would be to create a super hero's arch rival of course.

How about a Super Hero?!

     I thought I'd go back and talk a little about the videos I posted the other day.  Just a little insight as to how sometimes an idea comes to you after the fact and if you trust an instinct, you run with it and you hit pay-dirt!

Introducing Kokopelli man!

Expansion...the Art of doing what you know (and having more fun doing it!)

     For the past few months, our little business has had the blessed opportunities to take our, well, my storytelling approach and experience in theater and film and apply it to personal and business that want to up their (web) game.  Below are some videos...

If you can't say something nice...

   

copyright McKindles Photography 2007

     Today's post is brought to you by the letter N and the number 14!  N is for Nice, Neat, Neopolitan Ice Cream and Compliments.  Wait... "Compliments" doesn't start with the letter "n" you say?  Gosh... I didn't notice that (Notice also starts with "n").  Inspired by a comment someone made about a business associate and the events of my morning have lead me to this topic today about being NICE!
   
 ...And the number "14"?  Well... it just happens to be today's date.

Michigan Photographer returns to Minnesota for a session!

copyright McKindles Photography 2013

     In lieu of the horrible cold weather taking over Minnesota and Michigan, I thought I'd try to warm it up with highlights from a session I did last week while returning to Minneapolis for a day.  As I mentioned in a Facebook post that day, I could have shot Gracie AND this location all day long.  And thanks to my wife, we were able to keep to our schedule and get back on the road and NOT allow me to loose track of time.

Robb Photo: a look back at 2013

     They say you should never look back... but I will disagree for this moment.  Why?  Well I just want to give a big ol' Thank You to everyone that called or emailed McKindles Photography in 2013! This Brighton Michigan Photographer was blessed to be a part of so many personal stories and create so many incredibly creative and special moments this past year, I only ask of your time now to indulge me as I share a number of my favorite images.  Here's to 2013 and looking forward to 2014!!!

New Year equals New addition to our business!

     Well, I've been keeping it under wraps, but I thought it's time now to let everyone know that it is now 2014!!  Oh...wait... I thought that I was gonna surprise you!  Drat!  Well that's okay if you already knew...so I guess I'll take time to say a few thank you's, recap the year and mention some recent news about Robb Photo.