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?...