Life gets busy. In my case, there are seven lives that get busy and a new puppy to boot. Yea we are a little crazy, but its worth it.

Every year I go through a time period where I unplug, shut down and literally stop creating for myself. I continue to create for others and enjoy my commissioned work, but there is some mojo missing from within. I don’t know why or how I let myself get like this, but it never fails. I blame it on the dreary skies and cold weather for months on end (we get to enjoy in Pittsburgh). This is a lame excuse.

The real reason is getting busy with the mundane and self created worries/fears which takes away my soul. Don’t get me wrong, we have Good busy too, it’s the other busy and worries that are self created that truly block any form of motivation I can muster.

Thankfully I have some very creative people in my life that have energized me to get off my ass, get over myself and start creating again. As of lately I can’t get enough of art. I have been doing things that I have never considered trying – and it is opening up the floodgates to my creative mind. Nothing that I am doing is ground breaking and it may not even be good, but I’m creating which is all I want…

What are you doing?

I first met Mindy and Jahmar in Daytona Beach, Florida while I was there documenting the wedding of Corrine to Nick (that was another fantastic wedding). I knew immediately that they were an extremely fun-loving couple! Jahmar promised me that when they were to get married that he would be calling me. He was true to his word. In fact over the past few years we have kept in touch periodically just to check in on each other. It has been a treat for me to see them grow in there journey together!

We had a wintry day in October of this year and of course it landed on their wedding day. I was happy to hear how welcoming they were of the potential snow. It did add an element of “cool” to the ambience of an October wedding in Pittsburgh. Even though it was cold and somewhat dreary – the day was extremely upbeat and filled with excitement.

They were both getting ready at the Southpointe Hilton Garden Inn, just a few rooms away from each other. This made it convenient for my associate, Dan Speicher, and me to bounce back and forth between the rooms to capture the activity. Champagne bottles were popped and a little scotch was poured to settle the nerves and set the mood. Honestly, I think my face hurt from smiling by the end of the day… You can’t help but be in this mood when you are around Mindy and Jahmar!

Onward we shuttled to Upper St. Clair Faith Lutheran Church for the ceremony. The anticipation was priceless while Jahmar waited for Mindy to come through the doors. Instantly (even though Jahmar will deny it. lol) he had “emotional” written all over his face… I love moments like this! Once the vows were spoken and the rings exchanged, the pastor introduced the newlywed couple and they both danced with joy as they proceeded down the aisle together. The party was just beginning.

With a stroke of Grace from God, he cleared the dreary skies and filled them with Sunshine and Blue just long enough for us to create some great portraits out doors. The lighting and timing was seriously divine. Once we wrapped up the brief photo session, we made our way to Southpointe Golf Club for the celebration.

The night flew by so quickly, but not without many emotional moments, some off-the-hook dancing and a Photo fun booth we set up (additional post to follow will share some images).

This wedding was highly anticipated We are SO Happy for you both and look forward to seeing more of you in the future!!! God Bless you and your families. Thank you for having us be there with you!

As the 2011 year winds down, we have been working non stop on our future plans. The next few months are always the best time for us to step back, reevaluate and begin making changes. I’ve been pretty quiet with our web presence for quite sometime and am happy to say we recently did a website update @ davidburkephoto.com! Would love to hear what you think.

It will be an ongoing effort to keep it fresh and up to date. We are working on a few more portfolios to add, so check back regularly (and tell your friends. Especially the soon to be engaged friends !!)

I am really looking forward to 2012 and what it holds. Thank you all!

I could not have imagined spending Saturday October 8, with a better couple than Jourdan and Danny. They had an extraordinary event that never had a lull of time. We worked hard to keep up with them and their families all day! I also admit that while shooting at the reception it was impossible not to dance! Thank you Jourdan and Danny! I can’t wait to share the rest with you. Here are some of my favorites from the day.

October 1, 2011 – Taryn and Patrick had their wedding ceremony at St. Louise de Marillac church. The celebration was held at Destiny Hill Farm. The unseasonal weather did not damper the day at all. The details of the day were exquisite and went along perfectly with the personalities of Taryn and Patrick. Enjoy these few images to get an insight to the day.

Film Scans

My lab had an accident during the dip and dunk process and a few frames got a little funky. This one is a happy accident.

A little more of the happy accident.

I cannot believe how much Chyler is growing up.

Saturday morning fun.

Thanks Steve. My heart goes out to his loved ones. He will be missed by many!

I read a brief post on Photofocus today, which inspired my thoughts on this subject. You can read the Photofocus post here if you like. (PS – Photofocus is a great website with many resources for us photo types!)

The idea is ‘Don’t sweat the small stuff’. The small stuff actually adds up to one big Roadblock if not kept in check. These self-created roadblocks will stunt your growth as an artist faster than you can say “Roadblock”.

In other words, “What are you worried about?”

Some of the small stuff is:
White Balance being too warm or too cool
Exposure being slightly over or under
Color Balance being off a bit
A misplaced Highlight on someone’s cheek
Better yet a blown out highlight of meaningless information
Composition not being perfect

Other photographers may notice these things – hopefully they present constructive criticism to build you up and not tear you down. I encourage you to surround yourselves with photographers that possess the heart of a servant, to provide you the support and feedback you need. Regular folks and photo enthusiasts never notice.

Here is an example I use all of the time when mentoring someone and building them up on their journey:

I see homemade videos/and slideshows often at the weddings I document. These slideshows are filled with (what most photographers would consider ‘TERRIBLE’) photographs. Underexposed photographs, Overexposed, overdone flash which blows all detail out of people’s faces, red-eye, old grain 110 film scans, color-aged images, selective color images, crinkled up scans, etc… As a photographer, you can look at the images and think… ‘Oh the quality of these images is so bad!’, but when you take a step back and really look, it’s not the quality of the photographs you will see. You will moments, memories and more specifically Important People. Important to everyone that is in that room. You will also see and hear laughter, tears, joy, connection, memories being relived in front of everyone. It creates a sense of connection based on 1 thing… ‘Who is in the photographs’ not how quality they are! When I view these pictures I think to myself ‘They are going to LOVE the photographs I give them from this day!!!’ LOL

This doesn’t inspire me to be a slacker and not deliver my best, because I want to deliver the best. I am also not suggesting that you throw in the towel on your “small stuff”. I just know that with the skills and vision I possess, I will certainly make people happy with what I deliver. I I mean isn’t that the point after all – Making People Happy?

That is my vision: To Make People Happy with what I Give Them. Nothing more, nothing less.

So stop letting the small stuff worry you which will ultimately impede your growth. Be aware of it and strive to improve, but be OK.

Let’s look at it this way… Are you better today than you were yesterday? I just want to be better than I was yesterday. Some days, I know I will not be and that is perfectly OK!
Challenge: Go look at some photographs you made a few years ago, then last year, then last week…. Do you see yourself getting better? I am willing to be you will. If not, then let’s start addressing it, because it probably has to do with vision and technical abilities that need sharpened a bit.

I try not to get geeked out about new gear, because I know it is not going to make me a better photographer… BUT let’s face it. It’s exciting and fun! If money were no object I would probably by lots and lots of goodies. I am thankful that the Total Money Makeover has programmed me to pay cash and not go into debt. Since cash is limited (due to the rather large family I have , when I want something it takes time to get it. I am good with that because it feels good to pay cash and not have debt hanging over your head.

So Nikon is about to announce something (rumors are around a mirrorless camera, like the Micro 4/3′s that have been coming out lately), which is evidenced by there new teaser site, I AM COMING.

What are you thinking? Mirrorless, D4, D800? Maybe the are resurrecting the Coolwalker! haha
Do you care? Whatever it is, the next best thing is right around the corner and we can continue to chase it or use what we have and make great photographs. The choice is ours.

I will probably stick with what I have, because I have more than enough, and continue to enjoy the Old is New cameras I have been using all summer. My main camera bodies are the Nikon D3 which I am planning on holding onto for at least 1 more year.

Wherever you sit, enjoy the wait and surprise!

Everything rises and falls on leadership… – John C. Maxwell

There is so much truth to that quote. Whether you are a businessman, teacher, husband, father, player, coach, entrepreneur, etc…. leadership plays a HUGE roll in successes and failures of your adventures.

It’s funny though, how much awkward tension the word ‘Leadership’ causes at times. Some people I have interacted with never want to be recognized as a Leader… It’s like it is a dirty word! I can understand the interpretation of the word, coming across as pretentious, or putting oneself in a position of superiority. Heck you can’t get through the news these days without hearing about some leader in business or politics that gives leadership a bad name.

Let’s put the misconceptions about “Leadership” aside and focus on some goodness about it. It’s up to us to change that perception.

Over the past few years I have become passionate about leadership and developing my own leadership abilities. Once again as I always say, I am not looking for a destination, just enjoying the journey. The minute I think “I have arrived” is the minute that I stop growing and improving. That approach doesn’t appeal to me. I know there is always so much to learn.

While on my pursuit of Leadership knowledge, I have come across some extremely valuable teachers. A few of my favorites: John Maxwell, Ken Blanchard, Michael Hyatt and Dave Ramsey. I follow these individuals for a number of reasons, but most of all they are down to earth and relatable. They don’t sugar coat anything. They are just real. They talk about the good, bad and the ugly about leadership. They are humble and share their failures just as much as their successes. There is no fluff. Leadership takes a commitment to self improvement so you can continue to serve others. They all believe in the Servant Leadership model as opposed to Self Serving Leadership model. It is a beautiful thing, when your focus is to Serve others, not be served…

Dave Ramsey (Total Money Makeover) coined the term “Entreleadership” a few years ago and has been teaching it ever since. It has garnered rave reviews and over the years the programs consistently sell out. It is aimed at small business owners that are Entrepreneurs and Leaders. Dave is convinced that a successful small business person, needs to be a better leader than and entrepreneur. I couldn’t agree more. After having my own business for a number of years I have learned SO much about the importance of leadership vs. just being an entrepreneur.

I have always wanted to attend an Entreleadership Conference, however I have never been able to make it happen. Because the demand is so high and Dave (along with his team) has developed such a following, he decided to turn it into a book. Earlier this year when Dave announced that his new book, Entreleadership, would be shipping in September of 2011, I immediately pre-ordered it. I also will receive the free audio book as well (which comes in handy for those car and T rides…) I am really looking forward to the book!

Along with the launch of this book, he has also started a new podcast called, yep you guessed it, Entreleadership Podcast. It immediately shot to the top of the charts in the Business section podcasts. So far the podcasts have been great. If you are interested at all in leadership, I highly suggest you downloading the episodes. Dave jokes in the third episode that this Entreleadership book is much thicker than your typical business book. He also couldn’t fit everything in the printed version so there will be online chapters to download. He also talks about this being a PRACTICAL nuts and bolts kind of book. Not a “THEORY” book. I am anxious to receive my copy this week and start digging in.

The more I learn about leadership the more I understand the importance of great leadership. I can only hope that my own influence and service will impact the people I lead throughout the years, especially my children.

What are some of your favorite leadership resources?