I do what I do for the WOW | Lisa Nikole Photography | Saint Louis Missouri based Photographer

May 17th, 2012

A few weeks ago I watched a Ted Talks Speech by Simon Sinek

View it here:

Simon Sinek on Ted Talks

This will become the next bandwagon for most business and the next catch phrase you will see on every website.

WHY I do what I do!

Simon’s speech was amazing and it really caused me to think twice about what I do. Everyone who knows me, knows what I do. I’m part of Lisa Nikole Photography. You know that amazing team of female photographers that captures your event.. wait for it…. “because we love what we do” <— that my friends is the old catch phrase and it’s about all wore out.

I honestly do love what I do. I never got into photography to make money. I got into photography because at the age of eight, my father put a camera in my hand and said “go take pictures” and I did. Roll after roll after roll, there is something magical about shooting an image, winding up the film, taking it into the shop to be processed and waiting and back when I was 8, we waited a bit longer then an hour. You would rush to the store and get your packet and stand in line to pay and while there, you’d peek at your images, some were.. well bleak, but then there would be that one, that one image that brought you right back to where you were, I always call those WOW images.
Wow images inspire, they make you stop and for a short moment in time, you are transfered back to that place and your mind is flooded with the memory of that picture.

At eight I am very sure I have less WOW images then ICK, but i had enough that kept me going.

I never was without my camera or a few canisters of film. I loved the aspect of photography. I loved capturing a look, a glance, a stare and a memory.

Trees were an awesome subject and today they still are, just with people around them.

I love life, I love capturing it. In order to capture life you have to know your subject. Recently I was asked to shoot two local musicians, one for a cover the other just for some profile images. I spent time “researching” them. I watched them when they performed and when they did not. I watched the way they moved and when we met for our shoot, I was ready to photography and capture the real essence of who they are.

I still do this, every couple, senior or portrait that comes my way I observe. I make sure to capture that true grin, smile or eyebrow movement. It’s really not about posing for me, it’s about capturing the real essence of the person that is before my lens.

When I succeed it’s a WOW picture! I’m all about WOW, that is why i do what I do. I want a WOW and I get it.

When I shoot a wedding I stand for over 14 hours, my back will hurt and my hand and fingers are pushed beyond normal expectations, can’t say I love that. But what I do love is capturing the love between the bride and groom, that WOW shot, the one that makes me go WOW and even more then that.. makes them go WOW. it’s more then one, it’s capturing that WOW from beginning to end, that smile, that tear, that glance, that kiss and THAT moment. WOW!

When I shoot a portrait it’s no different. I watch for WOW and I capture it.

So if anyone wants to know Why Lisa Nikole does what she does, it’s because she’s looking for the WOW in you and when she finds it, she captures it and she makes it a memory for you and everyone around you to remember… forever!

When I no longer create WOW, I’ll no longer do what I do.. till then.. let’s create some memories and some WOW!

Tags / Categories / Comments

breaker

Lies Lies Lies

April 25th, 2012

I bet you’ve been lied to, I have. I even bet you’ve told a lie here or there. I have.

But a while ago I experienced a situation that was between me and another person and it was full of lies. I won’t get into detail, but I’ve always wondered how people could do that. Fabricate a story and try to carry it out, for a day, week, month or a lifetime. How.

Did you know that:

12% of adults admit to telling lies “sometimes” or “often”.

The profession with the highest number of liars is teaching, with 65% admitting to telling lies, and a surprising 18% telling surveyors that they tell lies “routinely”.

The most dishonest time of day is between 9 and 9:30 in the evening, with the early hours of the morning most likely to reveal the truth.

The most profligate liar in history was US president Richard Nixon, who researchers found to have lied on record 837 times on a single day.

Sure I looked it up, I wanted to understand more about lying. Yes, I’ve told lies for various reasons but to develop an entire story line.. that just amazed me, so…

I set out to do an experiment. I took one day and it just so happens with one person and lied, the entire day. I started the lie the day before and I continued it on for over 24 hours.

I started by saying I wasn’t going where I was.

Then I threw in conversations with people on the trip I was not in, then had to “cover” for my “error”.

I made up a day of plans I did and plans for the night. I even said at one point I would come visit the person but there was no way I could I was like 600 miles away.

I lied about what I ate, drank and did. I even trapped myself a few times just to see how the other person would react.

The person on the other end of my lies never knew. I’m sure they trusted me. I’ve not told them what I did, yet. They won’t read my blog so they won’t know. If I get a chance I will explain to them what I did.

My conclusion is.. It’s extremely hard to keep up a story line, you have to be constantly thinking of what you said and who you were with.. I had to remember what I said I was doing and when. I had to make sure I sounded like I was there. I had to make sure when I answered my phone I was not in a crowded hotel or mall somewhere.

Texting is much easier to lie from.

In the end, it was just so draining. I still do not understand the draw to do this and continue a lifestyle in lying and deception.

I wanted to understand why or how a person can do this.

I guess it did not help. Or maybe I’m just “not that type” of person.

I got to experiment for a day what it was like to lie about everything I did and it did not feel good. I’d rather just tell the truth, even if it hurts.. it’s just a whole lot easier and hurts less.

I did not tell the people on the trip with me what I was doing till two days after and they were amazed that they did not even realize or catch on to what I was doing.

What is your experience with liars. Or lying if your brave enough to tell us. :-)

As always Lisa Nikole

Tags / Categories / Comments

breaker

Lisa Nikole Photography | Then the lights went ……

April 16th, 2012

Have you ever had that moment when the lights went ON? I guess most would say a lightbulb went off, and idea, something hit you as fact and you were standing there, with your mouth open wide with this unusual look on your face… yeah “that” look!

I’ve been in the photography Industry for 11 years now, and I’ve seen a lot and recently I’ve been caught up in the more is better, internet is amazing, email, blog, post, Facebook, Twitter, do more, type more and then it hit me…

Let me tell you this small story…

My daughter and partner Raquel was looking for a pre-school for her son, for the purpose of this post I’ll narrow it down to two.

Goddard school which was very impressive, state of the art, structured and gets a big WOW when you walk in the door. I mean, it’s expensive (like a house payment, almost) and hires only the best teachers. It’s beautiful! The conversation centered on how good they were and most conversation was directed at the parents.

Now something that has happened in our industry is that more is better, the more you pay for an item means you are getting the best. I’ve heard some marketing folks and I’ve even heard some very well know togs say the same. Even down to buying an energy bar when put to the test of a $2 bar or one for .99 he bought the $2 bar, because if it costs more, it has to be better. Advertisers have really got into our heads with that one. Best is best, that is plain and simple. Cost has nothing to do with it.

Let’s move on….

Next on our list

West County Pre-School not as state of the art, pretty building, clean, kind people, great personalities and they met Ami (my grandson) at the door with a hello Ami, they knew he was 4 and they interacted with Ami. My daughter said she did not care if they just looked at his file before he walked in the door… THAT impressed her. The decision was tough.. West County was not as expensive, but they seemed to care more about the child then how great they were.. then a note came in the mail, a hand written thanks for coming by to check us out notecard! That cinched it for me. They cared about Ami, they cared enough to know about him and they cared enough to spend a few moments to send out a personal notecard.

So if expensive is better I guess Goddard would be the way to go, but if you want someone that cares, someone that is personally interested and yes, you get to save some money I’d say I’d want my grandson with people that care about what they are there to do… teach my grandson.

So I thought about all the buzz around me and I wondered if maybe we as photographers are missing something… personality.

Expensive is not always better, trust me that is a given in my industry, but I do have to say.. I strongly suggest you NOT hire a $500 photographer for the most important events in your life… please! It’s not worth that gamble at all and there are so many reasons I say that, that will have to be another post.

There is a fine line between what it costs and what is best. Meeting with people and knowing it’s about the service they provide and how they are going to serve you best is also important. In an age when the internet is moving so fast around us, it’s time to slow down.. take a deep breath, sit down with a cup of tea (or coffee) and meet the people that are going to cover your most special days or subjects.

Maybe it’s time to stop typing as much and get back to talking (yes, I said that) and developing our writing skills (I know mine are lost somewhere in the internet abyss). IT’s time to stop being plastic and start to get back to being real.

Let’s get real… expensive is not always better, but cheap is just that!

Tags / Categories / Comments

breaker
« Older Entries